I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

The only thing that might offer you some reassurance is that Dr. Möbius doesn't seem to be a fan of you and Eden, even describing your music as "tolerable noise."

[Even though she gave your music a "bad review," you were surprisingly relieved... You can't help it, these past few days have really been tough on you.]

As for the negative reviews from Mebius, Eden didn't care, because everyone has their own preferences, and it's understandable that some people don't want to accept her music; she naturally wouldn't mind.

[You, on the other hand, are more curious about what kind of songs Mébius would like. After all, unlike Eden, who insists on classical music and opera, your musical style is very broad. As long as you are willing, you can always create songs that Mébius like.]

[Just kidding! You could even write a song specifically for Sakura's "unique" taste, so surely you can write a piece that Möbius would like?]

[I don't expect to turn Mebius into a fan, but at least one of your compositions should be one she likes! That's what you're most proud of—that everyone can find at least one song they like on your album!]

[Therefore, you would take every opportunity to visit Möbius's laboratory to learn about her personality and preferences, and even try to compose a piece of music for her... And Möbius wasn't annoyed. As her designated "guinea pig," she was happy that you came to see her so often, since it gave her an excuse to come and do some research with you.]

[However, just as you were racking your brains trying to figure out how to compose a song for Möbius, Möbius's assistant, Danju, casually told you, "Actually, Dr. Möbius is also a fan of yours. During breaks in the lab, she and her senior colleague Klein would relax by drinking milk tea and listening to your songs... Oh, and by the way, she also follows your account."]

You fell silent... then logged into your online account, searched for followers... and actually found Mebius's account, and it was even verified with his real name.

You don't know how to say it, and for some reason, you just feel that Danzhu is going to be in trouble.

Then, you see Möbius appear out of nowhere behind Danju, grab her by the shoulder, drag her aside, and shove her onto a table piled high with documents, telling her that this is the data she needs to process tonight... due at six o'clock tomorrow morning.

You averted your gaze, offering only encouragement to the wailing Danju, before silently departing under Möbius's subtly warning gaze.

[However, this incident also made you realize what kind of person Mebius really is, which inspired you to gradually perfect the song for her and find an opportunity to give it to her... Mebius accepted it silently after a moment of silence, and you could faintly hear her thank you.]

Finally, Danzhu told me that Möbius plays the song you gave her in the lab whenever she has free time, and she always plays it whenever guests come over, which has a rather boastful feel to it.

[And then there's Velvet... She's come looking for you again, and she's also reached out to Eden and Sakura. She keeps coming over to invite you to her "Spiral Workshop" to check out her new magic tricks.]

Oh, and also, I'm urging you to arrange the music for her magic show; she's been waiting for a long time.

You simply smiled and nodded, saying that you would discuss it with her when you had time, since the music for the performance needed to be specially arranged and needed to be coordinated with the magic tricks to achieve the best effect... so it would take time, and depending on the situation, you might have to write several new pieces. Wilvi naturally agreed readily.

[After that, some other interesting things happened, but they were all insignificant. After all... "The Moths of Fire" is not a place for amusement.]

Every time you heed their call and head to the site of the Honkai outbreak, you witness the rampage of Honkai beasts, seeing once bustling streets reduced to ruins, leaving only wreckage, cries of agony, and pleas for help.

[At times like these, you can feel your emotions surging within you. Therefore, every time you sing at the site of a Honkai outbreak, your voice is always imbued with strong emotions, making you even more captivating... and also more attractive to the Honkai Beasts.]

[But that doesn't matter. You're here to act as a "taunting puppet" anyway. With the special amplification equipment made by Velvey, your singing can travel far. This will attract more Honkai Beasts and also guide the survivors in the right direction.]

Meanwhile, your team will take this opportunity to clear out the Honkai Beasts that have been attracted. Thanks to your song, the Honkai Beasts will not resist very strongly, and you can basically kill them without taking any damage.

The remaining teams will scatter to search for survivors, scout out the number of Honkai Beasts on the perimeter, and lure any stray Honkai Beasts into your song's range before handing them over to your team to deal with.

[At the same time, after finding survivors, the search and rescue team will first check if there are any wounded people inside, and whether the wounded are infected, and then escort the infected and uninfected people separately.]

Those who are not infected should move away from you and use the evacuation points on the outskirts to leave and head to a safe area.

Infected individuals will be brought to your side, and the spread of Honkai will be contained through your singing and the reagents developed by Mebius. Once the Honkai beasts are cleared out, they will be escorted to an isolation area for treatment and care.

[Actually, it shouldn't have been this complicated. In the past, the "Fire Moths" were already struggling to clear the Honkai Beasts from the outbreak area. A small team might return from a mission with two or three members missing. Occasionally, if they encountered a severe outbreak, the returning team might be reduced to half its original size... And that's just for a normal Honkai outbreak. If it's a "Great Honkai" outbreak with the appearance of "Herrschers"... then they basically have to go to the battlefield with the determination to die.]

Therefore, in the past, "Fire Moth" could not actually rescue many people, and many survivors would perish during the time "Fire Moth" was clearing Honkai Beasts.

Those who are injured and infected during this process are in an even worse and more troublesome situation. Because ordinary people do not realize how serious "being infected" is, they often bring infected wounded people with them, or even into the shelter... The result is that everyone in the shelter is infected and turns into monsters, and when the rescue team arrives, they have to be completely eliminated.

[What was meant to be a refuge to protect humanity and give people hope for survival... ended up becoming everyone's coffin. How ironic, how tragic.]

[Every time the rescue team encounters something like this, they lament this, ultimately having no choice but to pull the trigger and kill the monsters... while inwardly complaining why the "Fire Moths" don't educate the public about Honkai; perhaps that would reduce the occurrence of such events?]

[...But in the end, the soldiers will put these thoughts aside, because they believe that the "Fire-Chasing Moths" will have a way to deal with it, and that the "Fire-Chasing Moths" will lead them to victory over the Honkai. After all, they have already survived five "Great Honkai" events, haven't they?]

But... that's all in the past. After meeting you and discovering your "characteristics," they found a safer and better solution.

With your help, soldier casualties are being effectively reduced, and the number of people who can be rescued is increasing... Those infected people who would have been "abandoned" before are now being actively rescued by soldiers, instead of being simply "disposed of" as before.

Even though their tasks became much more complicated, and even though they became much more exhausted, everyone was happy because they had saved those people they couldn't save before, those people they had to "give up" on before... now they had saved them all.

Even knowing that those infected would most likely die in the end, and that they would most likely not survive until a cure became available, but... but... they saved them! They pulled them back from the clutches of the Honkai, even if only for a short while, and that was enough to make them happy.

Although due to your uniqueness, there are very few places where this method of rescue can be carried out, and other "less important" outbreak areas cannot benefit from it, but... this is undoubtedly a good start, a hopeful expectation, isn't it?

[Things will definitely get better in the future.]

[In the future, we will definitely be able to save more people.]

"We... will definitely defeat the Honkai!"—the soldiers believed this.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Reunion with the Nun (4930)

Time flows quietly, and you continue your life as usual... Although you are summoned by the "Fire Moths" more and more often as the number of Honkai outbreaks increases, the "Fire Moths" will occasionally grant you a break to rest, taking into account your physical condition.

After all, you are a celebrity to some extent, so we need to give you time to handle your own affairs. This is also conducive to social stability and prevents your fans from discovering anything amiss, lest some curious and capable fans investigate your recent situation and discover something is amiss...

This isn't an exaggeration about the "moth chasing the flame," because that's exactly how Velvet discovered the "moth chasing the flame."

Therefore, even if you really want to "work overtime" a few more times to save more people threatened by the Honkai, under the strong demands, or even orders, of "Fire Moth," you have to temporarily stop your schedule, start resting, and take care of some of your own affairs.

Of course, to put your mind at ease, "Moth Chaser" has also provided the most suitable reason—thanks to your help, their personnel are not as strained as before, with more personnel available for deployment. The rescue team has more members, meaning they can rescue more people. Furthermore, Möbius and May have made progress in their research on your "characteristics," and the new equipment needs to be tested… In short, don't worry, get some rest, they'll handle it!

Seeing their resolute attitude, you couldn't say anything more, only indicating that you would let them know if needed... This wasn't because you particularly enjoyed "working overtime," but because you clearly understood that every time you "worked overtime," you were saving countless lives—a priceless sum.

During this short break, you begin to process some thank-you notes and gifts from fans... This is not unusual, and many of the people you rescued from the Honkai outbreak were your fans. After returning to the safe zone, they would often send you their thanks, mostly verbally, but some preferred to express their gratitude in more formal written form. Therefore, you receive thank-you notes from time to time.

The gifts arrived along with the thank-you notes, and some were sent by other fans.

This time, however, there were some strange things mixed in with these gifts...

When you open a package, you find a gold-plated cross pendant and a beautifully crafted, clearly special "Bible."

This leaves you somewhat dazed, because you realize that this is probably a gift from the church... and you haven't visited the church in a long time, nor have you gone back to see Father Henry and Mother Teresa.

[Open the Bible and you'll find a beautiful postcard tucked inside, which reads, "Thank you for your continued kindness, my child. Please continue on your path with steadfastness."]

If you have any feelings about this and have already decided in your heart how you will use this short break, then you're ready to make the most of it.

Keep this special gift safe, pack your bags, and set off with Sakura.

[You first went to the church cemetery, to the graves of Father Henry and Mother Teresa, and recounted your experiences in detail, offering each of them a bouquet of lilies in remembrance.]

[Afterwards, you went back to visit your music teacher, the church where you used to live, and the people in the community who had cared for you... Unfortunately, you couldn't do the latter two.]

A sudden collapse destroyed the area, turning the community and church into ruins.

[And you know nothing about this... because the "Fire-Chasing Moths" concealed this Honkai outbreak, just like other Honkai outbreaks, to prevent the world from knowing about the Honkai and to prevent greater social unrest.]

You seemed a little dazed, but quickly your smile returned. You continued walking with Sakura towards their final destination—"Twilight Street."

You promised Li and Yin that you would visit them.

You and Sakura traveled to "Twilight Town," a place widely regarded as a "chaotic land."

When you arrived at Dusk Street, Li and Yin greeted you with a rather grand welcome and took you to see the candy factory he had built... Hmm, selling cigarette candies, very creative, and I heard it's quite popular. Unfortunately, you weren't too fond of this shape of candy, so you refused the candy Li offered you.

However, Li seemed to have anticipated this, as he immediately put the cigarette candy in his mouth, then skillfully waved to someone to bring a box, and grabbed a handful of lollipops from it, stuffing them into your hand.

"I knew you'd be a handful, you 'record player'! It's all candy, and you're already fussing about the presentation... Fine, I knew you were like this all along. I prepared it for you, go eat it yourself." — That's what Li said.

You smiled a little shyly, took the candy from Li, first taking a pale pink cherry blossom one from beside it, and then popping one into your mouth... The light strawberry flavor and rich sweetness spread in your mouth, bringing a pleasant feeling.

[Soon, Li and Yin led you and Ying, along with a group of people who were either attendants or guards, onto the streets of Twilight Street. Along the way, Li even took you to the church on Twilight Street... Unfortunately, the church had been abandoned, and even the priest who used to run the place was dead, leaving only an empty and dilapidated building.]

You lingered in this dilapidated church for quite some time, reaching out to touch the walls riddled with bullet holes and scratches, even bearing traces of dried blood, and gently touching the shards of glass that remained...

Finally, he walked to the broken stone statue, bent down, and carefully examined the fragments scattered on the ground. Then he looked at the relatively intact lower half of the statue and the upper half that was only half intact, and subconsciously imagined what it originally looked like.

[There are some marks on the back of the remaining upper body, suggesting it should have had wings... Could it have originally been an "angel"?]

You lingered in the church for a while, lost in thought... For some reason, this church gave you a sense of familiarity, as if you had been there a long time ago...

[But in the end, you still walked out with Sakura. Amidst Li's slightly concerned complaints and Yin's flat tone, you smiled again and told them that you just felt that this dilapidated scene had a unique "beauty," which gave you some inspiration... and you didn't realize that you stayed a little longer.]

Your words naturally drew a complaint from Li, who said you've really gone mad from studying art, finding beauty in this scene.

"Of course," you replied, leaving one wondering whether you were admitting that even this dilapidated landscape has its beauty, or admitting that you've truly become "obsessed" with studying art.

"Seeing its dilapidated state always reminds me of its original, complete, or even newly completed, beautiful appearance, with golden sunlight streaming through the glass and shining on the statue of the angel, like holy light falling from the sky... That scene must have been beautiful." — You said.

"It's like recalling the first light of dawn at dusk, or remembering the beauty of blooming flowers when they fall"—that's how you explained it.

"Alright, alright, I know you're being nice... Stop with your romantic yet disgusting words, they're making me sick. You'd be better off talking to the person next to you, or going to your Eden," Li said, his body trembling as if he were truly disgusted.

You simply smiled and remained silent.

[Afterwards, Li and Yin took you for a stroll through Twilight Street, introducing you to some of the more unique buildings and areas... Although many places were blocked from entering, Li's explanations quickly helped you understand what these areas were... They were probably gangs that Li didn't get along with, since the expressions of those who stopped you showed they were extremely nervous about Li's arrival.]

However, you did encounter a place that caught your attention... a "sanatorium." According to Li, it's run by a "strange" nun named "Aponia," and recently a very capable fighter has joined them. It's best not to cause trouble unless absolutely necessary.

You didn't say you had any negative feelings about this place, but you noticed that the "sanatorium" housed quite a few children, and you could tell from their smiles that they were very happy, so you had a good impression of the place.

[More importantly, you can vaguely see purple markings unique to "Honkai disease" spreading on the bodies of some of the children. Occasionally, you can also see several pale-faced adults coming out of the "sanatorium" and taking care of the children with the nun... and those adults all have traces of "Honkai disease" on their bodies.]

You and Sakura exchanged a glance, then nodded. After saying goodbye to Li and Yin, you entered the "sanatorium".

As you stepped into the front yard, Sakura seemed to suddenly sense something, abruptly pulling you back and shifting slightly forward to shield you. At the same time, you saw a figure rush out from a corner and block your path.

He was a man who exuded a sense of "danger" to anyone who saw him. He wore a poorly made mask, and whether it was intentional on the part of the mask designer or not, the mask always gave off a feeling of "anger," making people very uncomfortable.

[Do you think he must be the "very capable fighter" that Li mentioned who recently arrived?]

"Hey, you," he said, his gaze, hidden behind his mask, bypassing Sakura and landing on you behind her, "Come fight me. Let's have a battle, and I'll tear off your boring and hypocritical mask, showing you your true self."

"I can feel the disgusting dampness and dryness lurking beneath your false exterior... The very air around you carries that stench so far it's nauseating!"—he shouted.

"Come! Liberate yourself! Release your boring shackles! Come and fight me!!!"—he proclaimed, his aura growing increasingly dangerous, his hostility towards you no longer concealed.

[The alert Sakura was already preparing to draw her sword, while the man behind her, who had noticed everything, had drawn his gun and was aiming at her... However, at that moment, a gentle voice sounded from the side.]

"Please stop, Thousand Calamities"—it was the nun named Aponia speaking. She stepped forward and blocked his path, stopping him. "Your power and hostility should not be directed at humans, much less... at guests who are full of goodwill and courtesy."

"…Tch, get out of here! Aponia!"—the man named "Thousand Calamities" threatened, but Aponia had no intention of leaving, instead urging him on even more earnestly.

[Finally, Qianjie got annoyed by her too. He glared at you fiercely, but didn't say anything harsh. He just turned around and went around to the backyard via a side path. Then, various muffled sounds came from behind, as if Qianjie was venting his emotions.]

[Aponia sincerely apologized to you and Sakura, and invited Oak, Silver and the others to the "sanatorium," where she also apologized to them... However, whether it's your imagination or not, Aponia's gaze seemed to linger on you quite often.]

[Furthermore, Aponia's gaze towards you occasionally reveals a hint of doubt and understanding, which eventually transforms into lingering joy. Even the tone of her voice when speaking to you differs slightly from her tone towards others, becoming noticeably gentler and carrying a touch of happiness... All these actions indicate that she has strong feelings for you.]

Upon noticing this, Li and Yin looked on with bewilderment, as it was the first time they had ever seen this "strange" nun, Aponia, behave in such a manner.

Sakura, however, squinted, unsure of what to say, and could only give you a blank glance without uttering a sound.

[The meaning in Sakura's eyes was quite clear—you're at it again, managing to attract a girl even on a casual outing.]

[However, Sakura didn't say anything. After all, she was in the same situation, so she had no choice but to complain. She could only silently marvel at your wonderful charm, while pursing her lips and planning to go back and discuss with Eden how to "bully" you together, as a small form of "revenge."]