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

The highly mobile fusion warriors soared into the sky from the top floors of various buildings, then changed direction and surged towards Shen Liang like a tide. He would deal with hundreds of fusion warriors in the base.

To guard against Shen Liang, he could not use the Divine Keys. All the Divine Keys had owners, and the only ones that obeyed his commands were Black Abyss White Flower and the Wind Herrscher Core that had not yet been created by Velvet.

Shen Liang had a ring on his thumb and released the string!

That was a ring given to him by Alicia. In fact, many girls had given him rings as love letters or Valentine's Day gifts, which were very symbolic. However, Shen Liang only had ten fingers. If he wore one girl's ring but not another's, it would easily cause dissatisfaction. So he simply didn't wear anyone's ring.

Especially Alicia's ring. The pink fairy didn't seem to consider Shen Liang's gender or age when choosing the ring. The ring she picked was made of pink crystal, which was transformed from her Honkai energy. It sparkled and looked quite girlish. Moreover, the ring was a little too wide for Shen Liang. He hadn't grown tall since birth, and his boyish physique made it impossible for him to wear a ring that was clearly designed with his future in mind.

"It's okay, it's an engagement gift, not something you should use right now," Alicia whispered to him, avoiding Aponia's gaze. "It'll be appropriate when you grow up, so you should try your best to grow taller every day, eat more eggs and drink more milk, and marry Alicia as soon as possible~"

But now the ring has a purpose: it makes it easier to put the string on his thumb. His archery skills were taught by Alicia, and although he hasn't fully mastered them yet, combined with the Black Abyss White Flower technique, they are already formidable.

The arrow-shaped Black Abyss was fired by Shen Liang in succession, and under the frictionless force of the Wind Herrscher core, it almost became a god speed! The first arrow easily pierced through Sima, who was stepping on Ling's head, and the second arrow hit a man with fleshy wings on his back who was attacking him. After the Black Abyss hit, it disappeared and returned to his hand, but its ability to decompose organic matter directly dissolved them into flesh buds from the wound, leaving them with no chance of survival!

Blood splattered everywhere as the warriors quickly closed in on him! Shen Liang's azure wings whipped up a storm as he switched from bow and arrow to a knight's sword and spear, charging left and right through the chaotic battle! Everywhere were screams and scattered flesh and blood, the power of the Herrscher of Wind's core and the Herrscher of Death's core at his command!

"Corruption! He's been corrupted! I knew Eve would be corrupted sooner or later! He's not even human, just an artificial being, so why is he on the side of humanity?" the squad leader roared. "There are hundreds of us here! He's already gone all out to kill us, so don't think about anything else! Execute him along with the Herrscher!"

Some of the fusion warriors beside him hesitated for a moment, most of them being young girls who had been intimate with Shen Liang, but soon even they gritted their teeth! The hatred for the survival of humanity and so-called personal feelings were not things that could be weighed on the same scale. The few soft spots in their hearts turned ferocious when they saw Shen Liang's posture of fighting for the Herrscher!

You've been influenced by the Herrschers too? You've been corrupted as well? Then I have no time to hesitate! Blame it on your betrayal of humanity, Eve! The life-or-death struggle on the battlefield is a lesson we humans haven't taught you yet!

The two stealthy female warriors finally found their opportunity to assassinate. Just as the Azure Wings behind Shen Liang unleashed another torrent of energy, they silently pounced and grabbed Shen Liang's legs! Then they thrust in and brutally severed his kneecaps!

Shen Liang gritted his teeth, urged his wings to soar again, shaking off the attackers, and continued the fight!

Ling stared blankly at the boy whose legs were broken and limp. She felt a sharp pain in her heart, a pain she had never felt even when someone held a knife to her neck. It was as if someone was sneering and asking her if it was all worth it.

Shen Liang glanced at Ling again; her face was pale and ashen from the intense pain. He knew very well what was going on.

—I am probably no match for such a large number of fusion warriors.

but……

He flickered through the crowd of pursuers, then gave a cold, indifferent laugh.

"So what if it's a dream?" he said softly. "Ling, I've already lost you once, so I'm actually such a cowardly man... I've disappointed you before, how can I disappoint you a second time?"

Correct.

He used to be so obedient, so idiotic, so well-behaved... clearly a pet.

------------

When Ling called, Eve heard her terrified sobs on the other end. He sat on the floor, leaning against the foot of Sakura's bed, blankly imagining Ling being dragged to the rooftop by those fusion warriors.

It was 11:50 AM, just ten minutes before the start of a new day. Eve knew they were about to perform a beheading ritual. In ancient times, beheadings were performed either at noon or midnight; it was considered an act of arrogance and ostentation.

But Eve didn't know what he should do. He wanted to contact Sakura, but the external signal was cut off; he wanted to contact Plum, but after the isolation wall was raised, he couldn't contact other regions either. He was told not to act on his own, and theoretically he should take a shower, go to bed, and then get up at six o'clock the next morning for breakfast.

But Eve couldn't sleep.

He didn't understand what was wrong with him, but he was very anxious. He didn't want Ling to die, but he had no right to interfere with the Fire Chaser Base's choices. Although Ling's death was just that—death—it meant one less person to talk to.

Eve curled up on the ground, clutching her head.

Perhaps Ling was just a dream to him. He had many friends at the Fire Chaser Base and didn't need Ling. Those clear laughter, singing, and coquettish voices were just figments of his imagination. He was actually just projecting the images of other girls onto someone named "Ling" to satisfy his loneliness.

Yes, loneliness. This moth drawn to the flame—everyone has their own job, everyone has their own responsibilities, but he lives a carefree, aimless life, a pet that everyone likes. Ling is also that kind of child; only the two of them can become true friends. In this base, only Ling and he live carefree, aimless lives.

Ling is dead, it's not important, it's just that a piece of my heart is missing. People always think they can use other people to make up for the fear of losing someone, but in reality, it can't. What's missing is missing, and with that missing comes loneliness.

Eve looked up at the base's dome, which was as black as ink outside the window, and recalled her memories.

The terminal's communication had been turned off. Perhaps Ling was in despair. But for some reason, without any operation, the terminal was now playing a song that Ling quite liked.

I used to think life was still long.

I once thought you were still the same as before.

Actually, I was wrong. Everything has changed.

In the blink of an eye

I heard you say

All good things must come to an end.

Everything will be lost.

All good things must come to an end.

Your tears and laughter will all be lost.

Let's sing together! Let's dance together!

Forget about high and low status, let's all have fun!

Yes, all good things must come to an end. If someone decides to take what's theirs, then let them take it. What right do they have to say anything?

In the Fire Chaser Base, he was merely an experimental subject used to complete the Son of Man Project, a lowly android.

Eve closed her eyes in anguish; he had no choice but to accept it.

But when he closed his eyes, countless memories surged forth like ocean waves the instant they closed. He didn't want to think anymore, but something was forcing him to.

"So the doll likes this kind of thing? What do you think? Does it look like her?"

"What are you looking at! You're just staring at a lady who's having a hard time!"

"Can I borrow your high school uniform? Who's that little brat again... I absolutely have to wear it! I want to see it too!"

"You have to explain this to me clearly today! Are we friends or boyfriend and girlfriend? What? You don't know the difference... I mean, how exactly do you raise kids, ladies?"

"That same expression again, that innocent, clueless look!"

"Do you think... I'm a Herrscher?"

He suddenly remembered the almost pleading look in Ling's eyes when she was in his arms that day, asking him if he really considered her a Herrscher.

He did not answer at the time.

But now he suddenly understood why he couldn't think of an answer: it truly was an answer that didn't require a response. It wasn't that he cared whether Ling was a Herrscher or not, but when that person was the woman he loved, whether she was a Herrscher or not became completely unimportant.

All good things must come to an end.

Your tears and laughter will all be lost.

If you fall in love with a girl, you must protect her well.

If anyone tries to hurt her, you should shoot him with a bow and arrow.

"If anyone tries to harm her, kill him with an arrow!" Eve murmured along with the cheerful folk song.

In the past eight years of Eve's life, there had never been a moment like this, a moment when he was heartbroken and burning with rage. He wanted that person to live, wanted to embrace her cherry blossom-scented long hair, wanted to grow old with her from the innocent days of student life, and wanted to crush all those beasts who dared to pick up a knife.

That's a truly outrageous idea.

but……

This is the real me...

This is the real me.

This is me!

In an instant! Silence fell over the world!

Shen Liang opened his eyes.

------------

Ling's voice was almost hoarse from crying, "Baby! You idiot! Run away! Run! It's no use! Are you crazy!"

"Nonsense." Shen Liang continued to fight despite his crippled body, viciously plunging the Black Abyss, which resembled a knight's sword, into the waist of a fusion warrior. The warrior was quite courageous, still grinning before dying as he rammed his head into Shen Liang's head, leaving him dazed.

"How can I escape? I remember everything now. I know, the real me, the real Eve, the Eve in history didn't let you wait for me." Shen Liang stomped on and shattered a person's breastplate. He wasn't strong enough, but the Herrscher core's ability was powerful enough. The storm could crush everything. First, he broke the armor, then he used the Black Abyss to disintegrate it.

But just as he completed a set of killing moves, a sharp pain shot through his back. Without even touching it, he knew that Zhou Bo's spear had pierced through him. The person who hit him was a spatial teleportation fusion warrior. Such fusion warriors were of little use against the Honkai Calamity in the outside world, but they were extremely effective against humans.

The man hesitated, unsure of the extent of Shen Liang's injury since the spear tip hadn't pierced his chest. At that very moment, Shen Liang retaliated with a backhand thrust of the white flower! A beautiful counter-attack struck the man still debating whether to retreat or finish him off. This was the spear technique Hua had taught him. Although Hua was an unknown soldier, she was exceptionally skilled among the fusion warriors and one of his original genetic prototypes. Shen Liang had learned far more close-combat techniques from her than from Alicia.

After all, Miss Pink Fairy was an impatient fellow. She would often hug him from behind halfway through the lesson, and then reach into the opening in his waistband, laughing and saying things like, "That's all for today's lesson. The rest of the day is for the doll and me to relax. Learning through play is the kind of education I advocate, right?"

"It's a pity I forgot all my martial arts afterward... If only Hua Haiyue were here." Shen Liang gasped for breath. He was badly injured, and his current body was Eve from the previous civilization. Although he wasn't exactly weak, he was facing a powerful fusion warrior, and that counterattack had almost exhausted all his strength. Without the secret technique Hua Haiyue, he wanted to try using the white flower to heal himself and regain his strength, but the current battle situation made it impossible for him to focus on healing.

"Get up, Ling, I can't beat you by myself." Shen Liang laughed miserably. "Fusion warriors are beings that can resist Herrschers. Even if these fusion warriors are trash... I'm not a real Herrscher either. Now it's your turn to get up... save me."

Ling's ankles were bound by Soul Steel Chains. She watched Shen Liang struggle and fight, but she couldn't even cry out.

By this time, Shen Liang's speed had slowed down, and the others attacked again, Zhou Bo's knife plunging deep into his upper arm. Shen Liang gritted his teeth, trying to unleash the Wind Herrscher's repulsion field to blow them away, but the next second someone pounced on him and plunged a Soul Steel Spike into his throat!

The excruciating pain and the blocking effect of the Soul Steel forced him to suppress the power he was about to unleash. More people pounced on him, frantically pulling out Zhou Bo knives and stabbing them into his limbs! Although it was already a fight to the death, those who still had a shred of rationality knew that they should spare Shen Liang's life as much as possible. So one by one, they tackled Shen Liang from the air onto the rooftop, wrestling and maiming his limbs, like a group of hunters hunting a crocodile that had come ashore.

At this point, the Fusion Warriors' superpowers were no longer needed. The Fusion Warriors, who had finally captured Shen Liang, raised their fists and grinned as they smashed them onto Shen Liang's fair and delicate face. In their victory, they were simply venting their anger and violence.

Ling was no longer cared for. She was already trapped by the Soul Steel, and without becoming a Herrscher, she was just an ordinary little girl. She crawled forward with teary eyes, while Shen Liang was brutally pinned to the ground and had his limbs cut open just a few dozen meters in front of her. It was a horrific torture.

Shen Liang hadn't even given up resisting. Ling saw the boy who had been tackled sometimes grabbing at Hei Yuan, trying to fight back, only to have his sword knocked away. The tall fusion warriors blocked her view; she could only see Hei Yuan and Bai Hua being thrown out and then flying back in vain, searching for their master.

Chapter Twenty-Five: I'm Indulging in Love, and I'm Willing!

Pain.

A pain that penetrates to the very core of my being.