Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

The next moment she suddenly stood still, her expression frozen.

wrong.

This alley isn't some hidden back alley; it's just one of many streets in Chinatown. People often frequent this alley, even though it's 11 p.m. right now, which is when most people are heading to bars and nightclubs.

But after walking more than a hundred meters, she suddenly realized that apart from the bartender who had escorted her out earlier, she hadn't encountered a single person.

She stood frozen, because her hearing was far more acute than that of most humans, so she could hear the sound of high heels approaching from the dark depths of the alley. Many of the narrow streets and alleys in Chinatown lacked streetlights, which was actually a bit frightening. What girl could walk so calmly in complete darkness?

Before falling to this state, she had been a police officer, so she could easily discern the shape of the person from the footsteps. The person weighed around 100 pounds and was quite tall, likely over 1.7 meters without heels. This figure was undoubtedly that of a perfect young woman, but the more perfect it was, the more terrified Townsley became, because she knew very well what a beautiful young woman meant in this situation.

The Valkyrie is coming after us.

The fear that had been buried deep in her heart once again spread darkly.

Many times, Townsley felt that Destiny wasn't such a powerful entity. In its propaganda, it was portrayed as the so-called government of the supernatural, a guardian monitoring both the real and the unreal worlds. Destiny would never allow information from the supernatural to be leaked, nor would it allow supernatural individuals to use their power to harm society or ordinary people.

But destiny's tentacles cannot reach all the dark sides. For so many years, Townsley has been hiding in various European countries, unable to even use her ID card, so she can't stay in luxury hotels and apartments even though she has money. She never flaunts herself in front of others, so destiny has never caught her all these years. She feels that she has escaped from destiny's surveillance.

Now she understood that the Valkyries of Destiny never let their prey escape. They followed her scent like hunting dogs, their killing intent locking onto her from all sides. Clearly, this was the Valkyries' method of execution; everyone had been evacuated beforehand, and this alley was her arrest site, or perhaps her execution ground.

But Townsley wasn't going to end her resistance so easily. She unloaded the drunken man and threw him aside. If anyone were there at that moment, they would be horrified to discover that the man wasn't just drunk and needed her support, because his eyes were open and his expression was full of fear.

Townsley had slipped a muscle relaxant into his drink, which is why he was led away by her like a lecherous patron. If a man were to take away an unconscious woman, the bar staff would likely question him just in case, but if a beautiful woman were to take away an unconscious man, most people would just look on with envy and wouldn't suspect anything.

This is also the method by which Townsley has repeatedly succeeded.

She lowered her head, stretched her limbs, and then whispered into the darkness, "Come out, all of you."

The sound of alloy high heels clattering against the concrete slabs grew clearer. This intersection had only one streetlight, and a girl in a black women's trench coat and a high ponytail appeared in the light. Townsley had expected her to be beautiful, but he hadn't expected her to be this beautiful. She was tall and slender, and beneath her trench coat, she was still wearing her high school uniform. Her long, shapely legs, encased in sheer black over-the-knee stockings, were framed by her short skirt, and her ankle boots had five-centimeter heels. Therefore, her demeanor was somewhere between mature and girlish, making it difficult to tell whether she was a working woman or a student.

The only thing that made the girl look less childish and more menacing was the Japanese katana she carried in her right hand. With his superhuman vision, Townsley saw that the scabbard was full of technology, with rivets and stamping techniques combined, making it seem less like an antique sword and more like a futuristic sword from a science fiction game.

The girl stopped about fifteen meters away from her, gripping the hilt of her knife, and stared at her across the alley: "Ms. Townsley, do you know why I've come to see you today?"

Too lazy to answer, Townsley leaned down slightly and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you?"

Perhaps both of them were talking to themselves, and the girl didn't reply, but continued to explain: "Thomsley Smith, graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Anatomy and Physiology, worked as a forensic pathologist in the Orkney Islands of Scotland after 2009, but was dismissed after being found to have repeatedly desecrated corpses. After that, you began to infiltrate the European black market to trade organs. You didn't sell them for evil, but because you have pica, you purchased a large number of illegal human organs for consumption."

The girl read aloud in an orderly fashion what alarmed Townsley.

"In 2011, you ran out of money. With a severely tarnished resume, you couldn't find a high-paying job, so you started committing heinous crimes to satisfy your appetite. You fled to various European countries, committing crimes in different places, luring ordinary people to your residence to rape and eat them. In the most serious case, French Interpol had already taken notice of you and even found your photo, but you killed him in his home. You raped him in front of his wife and daughter and removed his liver. If it weren't for the arrival of the Valkyrie, all three of them would have been eaten by you."

The girl frowned deeply at the end, then looked at her and said, "We have determined that you have severe bipolar disorder."

Townsley laughed, his silver eyeshadow reflecting off his eyes and making him sway with mirth.

"You know me so well? If you know me so well, why did you dare to come alone? Aren't you afraid of dying?" She finally lowered her guard a little, because after so long, she hadn't heard any other sounds around her, which meant that this girl actually dared to come alone to capture her!

Perhaps fate misjudged her abilities, or perhaps the girl wanted to take all the credit for herself and didn't tell her colleagues, but whatever the case, Townsley was very happy.

She underestimated her opponent! Valkyrie! Regardless of whether this girl had any other tricks up her sleeve, Townsley knew she had found a way out. All she had to do was defeat her and take her hostage, and even if there was still an encirclement outside, she could escape! Although there were many Valkyries in Schicksal, very few could kill her. Since indulging her desires, the corrupted her felt like she had the strength of an A-rank Valkyrie!

Grade A!

One in a thousand Valkyries is less than one A-rank. Even the British government's flagship Valkyrie is only A-rank. Would such a being stoop to kill her?

“I’m afraid, but you’re not scary enough to frighten me,” the girl said. “You’ve committed these crimes and you’re still alive today. Matters concerning superhumans should always be resolved within the superhuman community. You have the ability; you could use it to earn more money than an ordinary person could earn in a lifetime. Why break the law?”

“You know I’m a superhuman, right? If I’m ‘superhuman,’ why should I be restricted by ordinary laws? Have you ever seen a butcher follow the rules set by pigs and cows?” Towns grinded the man on the ground with his foot, laughing wildly. “We’re not even the same species anymore, miss. We are superior humans, or rather, we are the real humans. Isn’t it natural for humans to eat lower creatures?”

“I forgot you have a serious mental illness,” the girl said calmly.

"Yes, in your eyes, people like me are all mentally ill, thugs whose minds have been corrupted by the Honkai. I understand, and I know you won't listen to me. After all, I was once a normal Valkyrie too, and I went through the same thing," Townsley shouted. "But I still have to say, humans are creatures that evolve. Isn't that how nature works? The first fish to evolve a jaw quickly devoured the early filter-feeding fish and dominated the ocean. Did those new fish really consider the less advanced fish as their own kind?"

"Have you reduced your dignity as a human being to the level of animals who don't even know themselves?" the girl said softly.

"Whether I kill or eat people, what does it have to do with you? Why do you have to come here to die? Aren't you all superhumans like me? You're not pigs I'm going to eat! If you're willing to get out of my way now, I might spare your life. You're still young, and those Valkyries probably haven't told you how terrifying I am! What do you think I've managed to escape from under the nose of Destiny for so long!"

In other words, you never regret it.

"Of course, I don't regret killing those people!" Townsley's voice grew increasingly frantic. "The first time the Valkyrie of Schicksal came to my house, she said I was gradually being corrupted by the Honkai, that my moral standards had plummeted to an appalling level. Guess what I said? I begged her to believe my sister, to believe that I had only temporarily lost my mind, and asked her to comfort me for a few days. I promised to turn myself in and undergo mental rehabilitation. She believed me. I knew she had a crush on me, so I raped her on the spot that day. She cried and said that as long as I was willing to accept treatment, she could accept it even like this. But when I pulled out a knife, she got scared. She frantically crawled towards the door while threatening to call the police."

Townsley whispered, “You see, she said she liked me, but it was just to satisfy her lust. What kind of love is it if you can’t satisfy your lover’s appetite? Later, I made her into fifteen portions, which took half a month to finish. Only then could I prove that she loved me… In those fifteen days, I learned how a person should live. God used her to show me how to pursue the greatest happiness.”

The girl wasn't surprised by Tangsley's words. Schicksal's investigation report indicated she was beyond redemption; the Honkai energy had twisted her into a demon. This was why Schicksal established so many educational institutions; Honkai energy corruption didn't just damage the body, but also the mind, and the latter was often more severe and terrifying than the former.

Only a Valkyrie with an unyielding spirit can remain indifferent to the Honkai's erosion, but not everyone is as resilient as a rock. Those tests targeting the mind are ultimately just tests; if someone harbors a hidden agenda, they cannot be detected, and by the time they are discovered, it may be too late.

The Valkyries of Honkai should be like this; they have long belonged to the "Honkai side," are enemies of civilization, and completely disregard human ethics, morality, and laws.

“I’m all set,” the girl said, then pressed her finger against the scabbard, and her fingerprint vibrated at the guard to unlock the scalpel.

"You haven't told me who you are yet. I don't have the habit of not asking your name before I've completely possessed you." Townsley laughed wildly. "You're a real beauty, making me jealous. I'll make you my nourishment!"

The girl remained calm. "Raiden Mei, a graduate intern at St. Freya Academy and head of the SoHo district in London. I hereby announce the judgment of the King's Bench Court in London: The defendant, Townsley Smith, committed a crime with cruel methods, serious consequences, and extremely high social harm. He was found guilty of intentional homicide, robbery, kidnapping, and rape. He is sentenced to death, to be carried out immediately. No appeals or defenses will be accepted in this case."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Teacher Himeko's Longing for a Man

Townsley suddenly realized that the girl in front of her wasn't there to "hunt" her, but to "inform" her. Although it seemed to be just a difference in wording, Townsley suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

Are you kidding me? Fear? I fear fate, I fear a mere high school graduate? She's even wearing her school uniform!

"It's regrettable that we didn't find you when you needed help the most, but not every criminal deserves forgiveness. Countless Valkyries in this world can control their dark side, and will not allow the darkness in their hearts to fall endlessly, nor will they let their darkness become actual actions. The evil of the vast majority of people is imprisoned, surrounded by kindness and justice, and exists in the same heart."

"Raiden Mei said softly."

Therefore, those who cannot do it are no longer human.

Just then, the scent of cherry blossoms seemed to waft towards her, gentle and warm like a blizzard. For a brief moment, Townsley was lost in thought; the fragrance even gave her a feeling of exhilaration, as if she had suddenly traveled from London to Japan, to a square, to a cherry tree, to spread out a picnic blanket, to eat wagashi and sake, to a clear sky and a gentle breeze, and then suddenly, to thunder.

Thunder roared?

Townsley was suddenly awakened, but Raiden Mei was no longer in front of her! Almost instantly, she drew a pistol from her waist. Although she was also a Valkyrie, she didn't actually have any exclusive weapon. Cold weapons were too conspicuous and couldn't be taken away legally, so pistols were easier to hide and were extremely powerful.

But at the same time, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck.

Townsley looked up, almost stunned. A purple arc of light enveloped her. In that moment of distraction, Raiden Mei was already close to her. The cherry blossom scent she smelled was Raiden Mei's perfume. In that instant, the girl's katana slashed down, the blade crackling with bluish-purple lightning, illuminating her icy face like a grim reaper coming to end her life.

Grade A!

Townsley raised his hands, which had mutated into claws, to meet the attack, grabbing Raiden Mei's blade. The clash of metal caused sparks to fly!

She was terrified to the point of madness. A-rank! This was a true A-rank! To have mastered lightning abilities to the point that one's body could move at superhuman speed—only an A-rank could achieve that! This girl, whose face still looked somewhat immature, was already at this level!

"I shouldn't have come! I shouldn't have come to London!" she roared as she attacked, venting her fear and rage. "I knew the area where Schicksal headquarters is located is full of powerful experts! I shouldn't have come! Why did I come! It's all your fault! Why did you want to hunt down the Valkyrie! Do you even have the right!"

Raiden Mei swung her sword backhand, unleashing a burst of electric light from the alloy katana, slicing off all four fingers of her right claw! Then, she released the hilt, leaping into the air and slamming her knee, clad in black stockings, into Townsley's chin, knocking her, who was beginning to transform into a suicide fighter, back five meters!

“You’ve been corrupted to the point of becoming a Honkai-side creature,” Raiden Mei caught the thrown katana and walked step by step toward Townsley, who had crashed into the wall. “A Valkyrie corrupted will become a suicide warrior. At that point, you might not even be able to retain your human form. You’ll grow claws and fangs, your hands and feet might turn into swords, and your body will become a silicon-based creation, no different from a Honkai beast. Look, you’ve even forgotten how to use a gun.”

"Mind your own business! The great Honkai God has already granted me happiness! I can live a more meaningful life without you! No, I should live longer, I shouldn't have come here to die! No, killing the Valkyrie is the only way to realize my great dream! No, no, no, I'm too stupid, I need to stay far away from you! I have plenty of people to eat!"

Townsley was raving incoherently, as if two consciousnesses were locked in a fierce battle within her mind. Raiden Mei knew why: it was the Honkai consciousness trying to control the corrupted target, while her instincts were screaming for survival.

Honkai is an enemy of civilization, and Valkyries are its enemies. All Valkyries who are bewitched and corrupted will eventually end up killing other Valkyries, but Townsley knows very well that she does not have that ability. Her current desire to survive is in conflict with her desire to kill.

This is why Valkyries can often be controlled once they are corrupted. Because no matter what, the corrupted Valkyries will eventually choose to attack other Valkyries. They can never hide themselves, so they can eventually be eliminated, it's just a matter of how much disaster they cause before they are eliminated.

Townsley smashed through the concrete wall, riddled with wounds, but before Raiden Mei could even reach her, she leaped up again, her dark claws aimed straight for Raiden Mei's head. She made no attempt to defend herself, for she had already lost her mind in the chaotic corruption, and the battle with the Valkyrie had accelerated her mental breakdown.

Raiden Mei's face remained calm. She held her katana horizontally against her left claw and retreated continuously. Then, lightning appeared behind her, piercing through Townsley's body along the blade. The intense heat made her scream in agony, and her hair was completely destroyed.

Raiden Mei picked up the gun and fired continuously, while Townsley, who was almost burning to the point of smelling like meat, still had the strength to escape. After dodging the bullets, she hung upside down under the eaves like a bat, staring at Raiden Mei with a sinister look in her eyes.

"Magnetic Storm Slash! That's the latest pulse blade design! The one ME Corporation headquarters developed for her daughter! There's only one in the whole world! You're Raiden Mei!" Townsley roared, "I know your address, I know your family! I'll kill them all, I'll eat them one by one!"

"So your logical abilities have indeed deteriorated a lot after being corrupted. I've said before that my name is Raiden Mei. Most people who know anything about Japan know that my father is Raiden Ryoma." Raiden Mei said calmly, "You can't kill them. I'm the only Raiden family member left outside now. If you've been following the news, you'll know that they've all gone to prison."

"I'm going to eat all your friends and family! Eat them all up! Hahahaha, let me eat them all up!" Townsley shouted wildly.

Unable to communicate, Raiden Mei watched as her body gradually turned pale, a sign of the transformation from carbon-based to silicon-based.

"Eat it all up! All of it!"

Townsley let out an extremely strange hiss, completely indistinguishable from a human's. Then she crouched down, like a cheetah preparing to pounce and strike with her claws. She had completely lost the will to survive, immersed in the frenzy brought only by endless violence and desire under the control of the Honkai.

Raiden Mei took out her phone from her pocket, checked the time, and remained expressionless.

--------

The bar was deafeningly noisy. British law stipulates that bands can only play songs with suggestive lyrics after midnight. Young men and women danced wildly on the dance floor, both dressed in sexy and revealing outfits. Nightclubs after midnight are places bursting with hormones.

At the bar counter, a mature beauty dressed in a typical nightclub style held a cocktail, seemingly drunk but not quite, and chatted casually with a handsome young man who had struck up a conversation with her.

"Would you like to try this shop's signature 'Golden Dragon's Claw'? I heard it's made with local agave nectar, elderflower, and lime juice, mixed with our London grapefruit bitters and white spirit. You can't call yourself a wine connoisseur if you come to London and don't try this. And it's very suitable for Asians too, since this drink was originally invented by Asians in Soho," the man said enthusiastically.

His eyes were almost greedily fixed on this mature and alluring red-haired beauty; he had never seen such a stunning woman before. She wore a thin red gauze halter dress that revealed her beautiful back and the shape of her butterfly valley, sheer stockings encasing her plump legs, and her toes, reinforced with black stockings, held up shiny black high heels, swaying gently, exuding a seductive charm.

Even in the chaotic atmosphere of a nightclub, this outfit was incredibly daring, indicating the woman was a seasoned clubber. The man made no attempt to hide his lust; he felt he didn't need to, because it was obvious this woman wasn't exactly innocent either. They were both adults, and coming to a place like this meant the same thing—it was consensual.

Moreover, judging from the woman's face and attire, she was clearly not short of money. Experienced men were certain she wasn't a pervert or a honey trap victim. There was little risk involved with this kind of wealthy older woman or socialite seeking pleasure.

Himeko gave him a charming glance. "Agave is a volatile plant. Infusing alcohol with this ingredient is spicy enough to make a cowboy choke. Does this gentleman want to see a lady embarrassed?"

"How could that be? Ms. Himeko's enthusiastic manner reminds me of the gypsy girls in London a long time ago, those passionate rose-loving women who could drink a lit cocktail in one gulp."

"That's quite fiery, Mr. John, you've got a lot of experience."

"But none of them are as fiery as Miss Himeko. Of all the roses I've ever seen, none are as delicate and vibrant as yours."

"You're quite the smooth talker. Well then, can I have a chance to buy you a drink?" Himeko gracefully extended her right hand, which was encased in a black silk glove.

“With pleasure, beautiful lady.” John looked smugly at the bartender, who was showing envy, and raised an eyebrow. In England, a lady willing to accept your drink means you can take things further. Golden Dragon's Claw is a famous date rape drug, and Himeko's willingness to drink it definitely means she has already agreed to spend a wonderful night with him.

The bartender rolled his eyes, showing disdain for the lucky man, and then served the prepared spirits, one for Himeko and one for the man.