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

"The first layer of iron walls at the Fire Chaser Base has been breached!" someone shouted frantically over the loudspeaker. "Deputy Commander!"

The crowd at the bottom of the building stirred, the commotion resembling a swarm of ants protecting their queen on a stove.

Currently, few people in the Fire Chaser organization know that Shen Liang is already the commander-in-chief. However, the people with the highest authority in the Fire Chaser organization are Shen Liang and Eden. Eden's rank in the command department is lower than Shen Liang's, so everyone must consult him first when encountering unexpected situations.

Currently, most of the Fusion Warriors of the Fire Chaser are on the moon. Shen Liang, who wields the Black Abyss White Flower and the Star Sea Harmony, is already a top-tier fighter among the weak. Without him, the Fire Chaser would lack a core leader.

—What need is there for a leader? Everyone should just die.

At this moment, the external drainage system of the Fire Moth base was destroyed, and the water pressure in the pipes inside the base surged. Soon, the automatic protection function began to release floodwater by opening rain vents on the base's dome.

Those were nozzles used to simulate rainfall. At that moment, high-pressure water gushed out, and within a dozen seconds, the underground base was hit by a torrential downpour. The refugees on the parade ground cried out in fear, scrambling into buildings to take shelter from the rain. The noise, footsteps, the sound of rain, and the sloshing of mud all blended together.

Shen Liang remained seated on the rooftop, the artificial lightning casting a glow over his delicate, aloof face. Beside him sat a terminal, playing a melodious, unnamed song.

Eden and Hua walked up to the rooftop and looked at the boy's back as he sat on the edge.

“You will die too,” the boy suddenly said.

Eden and Hua were taken aback.

“Eden, you will die too. You have no attachment to this world. You are the queen of humanity, a superstar of music. You cannot endure millions of years of civilization's desolation. For you, death is preferable.” Shen Liang raised her head and looked at the rain, her eyes cold and unfamiliar. “You stayed here only to stabilize my emotions, to give me my last support... But in fact, you will die too. I guess that after I enter the shelter and am cryogenically frozen, you will choose to leave and then face the apocalypse.”

Hua was about to say something when Eden stopped her. As the one of the nine Primarchs with the least relationship with Shen Liang, Hua had even been drugged and thrown into Shen Liang's room by Himiko at Gretchen's birthday party, who wanted to have some fun with her. However, she was so frightened that she sobered up and hid in the closet, trembling with fear. Fortunately, Shen Liang didn't like taking advantage of her vulnerability, and their relationship hadn't reached the point where they could be completely at ease with each other... In the end, Hua watched from the closet as Shen Liang punished the self-righteous Himiko, opening the door to a new world with a mixture of shame and shock.

But that was all. Although everyone assumed Hua was now part of some young man's harem, Hua herself knew she was far from qualified. However, the long-held belief that the Primarch would inevitably fall made everyone think it was only a matter of time. And as the apocalypse drew closer, almost inexplicably, Hua finally signed the engagement agreement.

She herself wasn't sure why she wanted to sign. Maybe it was because she had always harbored some envy for Mei and the others, maybe it was because she didn't want to have any regrets, maybe it was a little impulsive before the end of the world, or maybe... she and he were both people who had a future.

—But not yet. She doesn't hold the highest place in Shen Liang's heart.

Hua looked back and forth between Shen Liang and Eden with some concern, and then saw Eden walk behind the boy, kneel down, and gently hug his shoulders from behind.

"Yes."

Hua was shocked. She hadn't expected Eden to actually be seeking death! As the king of the music scene and an idol of civilization, Eden also had the right to enter the shelter... To put it bluntly, these shelters cost Eden a lot of money, so of course she was entitled to them! She hadn't even considered falling into slumber?

"You want to die too?" Shen Liang said coldly without turning around.

“I don’t want you to know this, doll,” Eden said softly. “Why do you think about it? If you don’t, if you put everything out of your mind, you won’t be in so much pain. You have so many things to do. Do you see those refugees? You have to protect them, you have to fight, you can’t rest… You have so many responsibilities as a savior on your shoulders, why do you have to spare your attention for these things?”

“You could have lived with me for millions of years,” Shen Liang said softly. “Eden, they abandoned me, are you going to abandon me too?”

“I’m a useless woman, baby… You’re still young, your life hasn’t even begun, you’re full of energy and hope. You should be creating a new world… But I, but we… we’re not like that.” Eden hugged him, her gaze also drifting as she looked at the heavy rain. “Our lives have been prosperous and beautiful enough, and meeting you has even left us with traces of our heritage. There’s no need for us to go to a new world, it’s meaningless.”

"Well, keep talking."

“Let us wither away with this beautiful world. Without the Fire-Chasing Civilization, what need is there for me?” Eden chuckled. “Baby, you’ll understand long afterward. For a singer, life is about pursuing one’s aesthetics to the very end. I love you, so please forgive my departure.”

Shen Liang looked at the pop diva who was now carefree beyond measure, her lips twitched, she wanted to laugh, but found that she couldn't laugh at all right now.

The device seemed to be malfunctioning from being in the rain for too long, intermittently changing tracks, and inexplicably starting to play a folk song by an Irish band in the rain. The melody was very delicate and soft, quite unsuitable for this decisive moment of torrential rain. At times like this, it should be playing songs that suggest a clean break, a way to vent the pent-up emotions in his heart.

Is this what aesthetics is? So beautiful, even in death it remains steadfast. Do you see beauty now? Torrential rain, music, separation and death—all these elements are present. Doesn't this situation better embody the aesthetics of the moth drawn to the flame?

Righteousness, sacrifice, heroism, salvation, liberation, and heroic spirit.

Yes, you are truly great heroes, great men and women! You have lived your lives in accordance with your pursuits. Yes, how can it not be a lifetime? Whether you live a life of mere survival or a life of dazzling brilliance, you both pursue a magnificent and spectacular bloom, and you are not afraid to die for it.

Isn't that amazing!

He kept saying he loved someone, kept saying he didn't want that person to be sad, kept saying he was sorry. Ah, how tragic yet so full of passion, how desperate yet so righteous!

Shen Liang gritted his teeth. He felt something burning inside him, filling him with anger.

Is this world really that important? Is it worth hurting yourself like that? It's so cruel. There are only so many people in this world who love me, and now you're all gone, leaving me all alone... Who am I supposed to live for? Even if I were to keep going... how could I possibly go through fire and water?

Every time I go through fire and water... it's all for you.

Why would you die for the world? You...

It's clearly just me...

Shen Liang was furious like never before. He had always been a very insecure person since childhood. In Mei's words, he was always extremely jealous and possessive to the point that it was even distressing for others. Although he rarely showed it, he always felt that he should be the most important person in Mei and the others' hearts. This mentality could even be called a kind of narcissism. But that's just how Shen Liang is. He is extremely self-centered by nature. If he were a real wolf cub, he would be the kind who would push his other brothers and sisters aside even when nursing.

But today he discovered that something was more important than him.

An unprecedented surge of jealousy welled up within him.

The terminal was still playing music. Eden seemed to think that he had finally accepted it and was going to maturely take on the responsibility. He even hummed a song sadly behind him.

The lyrics are very gentle because the songs in Shen Liang's terminal were all selected by them. Shen Liang has always been a child who passively accepts information. He is well-behaved and never resists any arrangements, including what he should eat, use, play, and listen to.

Therefore, Shen Liang is also very familiar with this song.

The trees are growing taller and the leaves are turning green.

I've seen my true love many times.

How many times have I gazed at him alone for so long?

He's still young, but he's growing up.

No wonder Eden played this song for him; he's not grown up yet, so he'll understand later.

It's always like this: making arrangements unilaterally, speaking unilaterally, loving unilaterally, and then abandoning unilaterally. That kind of self-righteous compassion…

On that last day, I gazed into the distance, my eyes reaching beyond the high walls of the ancient castle.

I saw a group of teenagers having a great time.

My beloved is like a flower, shining brightly in the crowd.

He is still young, but he is growing day by day.

Now he finally realized why, despite being so obedient, sensible, and well-behaved all along, he couldn't even have a world that revolved around him. It was because he was never a real man; he was still young, and he had always been trying to gain someone else's pity.

He suppressed his true nature to become an emotionally intelligent, great savior, a son of man, who met everyone's needs... but it was all a lie.

On that final day, the earth was just beginning to lighten.

Let's go explore the haystacks together.

Our love was so mysterious, too ashamed to speak of it.

But he grew up, and she no longer complained about his youthful exuberance.

You so desperately want that human child to stop being so immature, so desperately want him to grow up... Could it be that you are actually somewhat disappointed in this child who never grows up? He didn't become the complete savior in your hearts. He wasn't fierce, wicked, domineering, or great enough, so you had to sacrifice yourself. So you have to wait for him to set off again after millions of years. So I've actually worked in vain. I've pretended for nothing all my life. I've put so much effort into portraying myself as human, but it's not what you want.

Good morning! Speak! Ah!

Amidst gentle music, the boy's youthful roar echoed across the rooftop!

Everyone in the entire Fire Chaser Base heard it. Everyone looked up, their eyes flashing with confusion, followed by terror!

Because the sky... is shattered.

The sixth layer of Soul Steel Barrier was blasted open by the Honkai Beast's breath. The refugees deep underground saw the moonlight outside and the horde of beasts rushing in, meaning the Honkai Beasts were approaching. After the dome was breached, only a three-dimensional defensive wall composed of the Divine Keys in a state of dormancy remained. But that was the last line of defense, and it could only protect the base for three days... In other words, if there was no turning back, they only had three days left to live.

But at this moment, more than a dozen powerful auras soared into the sky, instantly blasting the Honkai Beasts that had just jumped down from the gap in the Iron Curtain to death! Then, the Honkai Beasts that were still preparing to dig down on the ground actually retreated. Everyone could see that there were emotions in the eyes of the silicon-based life forms of the Honkai Beasts: fear, doubt, and submission.

On the rooftop, Eden and Hua were completely stunned. Eden looked at the boy whose eyes were both familiar and unfamiliar… Familiar because, for the first three years after Shen Liang's birth, he had always been like this, with a cold and indifferent gaze that could even send chills down the spines of ordinary people—the kind of gaze often reserved for a young wolf. But unfamiliar because, in the Eighth Herrscher Branca's dream, he had spent ten years adapting and learning how to conduct himself in society, and now, another ten years had passed. He had long since become everyone's adorable and approachable little wolf-dog, with a gentle and easygoing nature that made people want to cling to him.

But ten years ago, that look in the boy's eyes might have only made him feel distant. Now, when the son of man... showed that look again, Eden subconsciously sensed that something uncontrollable and dangerous was happening, that some shackles were being torn apart.

The wolf cubs have grown up; they're now ferocious beasts.

"I'm returning the power to you. Are you happy, girls?" Shen Liang gazed at the moon through the gap in the sky. Behind him, the figures of girls appeared, some hovering in the air, some kneeling, and some intimately leaning over to hug his waist. Each of them had a stern golden eye, yet they were completely obedient, clearly a pack of wolves submitting to the young man.

He stroked the girls' cheeks, then looked back at Hua, who was instinctively on guard, and Eden, whose expression had changed drastically. "It seems everyone has forgotten that I've always been a bastard who only cares about his own desires. I don't care about what you think. I can tolerate your ambitions because I feel that I was born to belong to you and have no right to make demands. But in exchange, your lives and love have been mine from the beginning. I didn't say I didn't want them, and you can't take them away without permission."

Selfish desires?

Sorry, the android Eve doesn't have such a forgiving heart; her heart can only hold very little! She can't be a hero! She can only be a rebel who erases all the efforts of heroes!

Selfish desires?

Yes, that's right! The son of man is just a collection of selfish desires! What kind of person is someone who can't even satisfy their own selfish desires?! How can someone who can't even protect their own woman expect to protect all of humanity? What a joke!

A fire ignited in Shen Liang's heart. He gritted his teeth, and a sinister smile gradually appeared on his face.

He seemed to sense a will about to awaken, in sync with his present self. If it was that version of himself… he would definitely do the same. As he indulged his anger and rage, that version of himself from a distant place praised him.

—Yes, this is the real me.

—This is the true son of man, this is the true Eve, this is the true Shen Liang!

"Open the door," Shen Liang commanded.

Eden suddenly realized what he was planning to do!

The core of the Herrscher of the Void, "Thousand Worlds One Vehicle," is not yet fully completed. Theoretically, this thing is the key to the Imaginary Tree. If the fight against the Herrscher of the End fails, Su will infiltrate the key in a spiritual form to complete it and enter the Imaginary Tree to monitor parallel worlds.

But at this moment, the Thousand Realms One Vehicle must have disappeared. Under Shen Liang's absolute command to the Divine Key, it must have returned to the core of the Herrscher and returned to the bodies of these girls!

So!

Chapter Sixty-Seven Cecilia: Finally remembered the old... me!

Eden stared blankly at the arrogant boy. She realized they had made a mistake; a flaw had appeared in May's carefully orchestrated plan that no one had noticed.

From the moment Eve was born, they educated him by example, believing that the environment could change everything, and molded his personality as much as possible into the "son of man" needed by the Fire Chaser Base. They felt they had succeeded. The doll lived according to their imagination, an unparalleled genius, quick in both learning and combat, and impeccably loyal to humanity, except that his excessive indulgence had led to a slightly greedy view of love.

But that's not a problem. Great men don't concern themselves with trifles. They felt that they had created a perfect future savior with love and guidance, and he would surely follow all their plans because of his love for them... because love is the greatest loyalty, and the doll is more trustworthy than anyone else.

But things didn't turn out that way. Neither Mei nor the others realized that Eve's so-called "son of man" personality was merely a mask he wore to please them, or rather, just one facet of his character, much like how every kind person shows their gentle side to their loved ones. Therefore, Eve was essentially still that insecure android, constantly bound by the predicament of not being accepted as human. He was cold, self-centered, and even headstrong; he only tamed himself into a docile, ruthless wolf-dog state by yearning for love. But if that love were to disappear, his true nature would return.