Regarding the question of whether one thousand lives are enough to beat Honkai Impact 3rd.

There is an isolated island, Île d'If, located 3 kilometers from the Old Port of Marseille.

Legend has it that the Île d'If is where the protagonist of Alexandre Dumas's novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" was imprisoned, and it attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year.

But within a short half-day, the place was deserted. The bustling noise that once filled the air, loud enough to drown out the crashing waves, had vanished without a trace. Only the occasional seagulls flying overhead could make the place seem less desolate.

According to Destiny's investigation, a large amount of Honkai energy crystals are buried deep within If Island, and a large number of animal carcasses have been transported into it without being discovered for a long time.

As a result, without knowing which force was behind it, a King-class Honkai Beast was born as the Honkai energy concentration gradually changed.

Schicksal, who discovered the abnormal Honkai energy index in advance, evacuated the crowd in time before the tragedy occurred. The S-class Valkyrie Rita Losweisse was ultimately assigned to clear out the enemies.

Since this Emperor-class Honkai Beast's level was just at the lowest threshold of Emperor-class, she successfully ended the battle in a very short time.

Just as she was about to report on her mission and return to headquarters, the request for rescue and details from the Far East branch reached the man's hands.

Of course, he didn't receive the news until three hours after the incident.

Even though the floating islands of the Far East branch were not affected, the erratic Honkai energy field still caused communication disruptions for a while, which delayed the rescue signal.

Otto Apocalypse.

Even though the man had lost most of his human emotions over the course of five hundred years, Theresa was exceptionally special to him, so he could not remain indifferent to her.

Moreover, this concerns matters concerning lawyers.

Based on the data about that fragment previously transmitted from the Far East Branch and the characteristics of the Honkai energy mist in this incident.

Otto could guess some clues about the other party's true identity, and if things were really as he imagined, St. Freya Academy would be completely turned into a hell.

And in doing so, the other party will begin to challenge the whole world.

The power of that Lawgiver is the greatest enemy of human civilization itself.

As a result, Rita received orders to go to St. Freya Academy, and at the same time, Schicksal Headquarters began a mobilization.

If all goes well, Rita Losweather will arrive at St. Freya Academy within six hours, but the Valkyrie squad and all sorts of weapons will likely arrive before her.

But just as the young woman boarded her destiny-bound private jet, sat on the soft, comfortable sofa, and politely fastened her seatbelt, she glanced at the charm on her phone, and a rare hint of worry flashed across her usually composed and elegant expression.

Yes, that ornament is a chibi version of Theresa.

As the engine roared and created a gust of wind, the communicator automatically popped up and connected.

The girl smiled and asked:

"Your Excellency, is there something you need?"

Even knowing that the other person couldn't see her, her smile still maintained just the right balance. It wasn't the stiffness of a typical business smile, nor was it a conventional template that conveyed a sense of distance. It's hard to find an adjective to describe this subtle feeling.

If I had to describe it, it was a near-perfect smile, unique to the maid.

"I'm here to tell you good news, Rita. My lovely granddaughter has woken up, the Honkai energy fog near the Far East Branch has completely dissipated, and the Herrscher's reaction has vanished."

"Yes, it's as refreshing as seeing the sun after the clouds have parted. Just as the clock struck six, the afterglow of dusk once again enveloped St. Freya Academy. Hahaha, isn't that interesting?"

A man's laughter came from the other end of the line. He continued, seemingly genuinely pleased:

“Now that Theresa has woken up, I don’t need to worry so much anymore. Rita, you should have just boarded the plane to St. Freya Academy, right? You can relax now. You’ve just finished a mission, so why not treat this trip as a vacation?”

"Hmm, although this mission might just be a warm-up for you?"

The maid bowed slightly and replied:

"You flatter me, Your Excellency."

"Now that the crisis has been resolved and Lady Theresa has awakened, it means there must still be things or people in this academy that the bishop cares about, right?"

Otto Apocalypse answered this question directly.

"As perceptive as ever, Rita."

"Go and keep an eye on it for me, K423."

Rita was a little confused, and she asked:

"Shouldn't that be Lady Fu Hua's task, Your Excellency? I don't believe I have enough observation and judgment to surpass Lady Fu Hua's, and I also believe that Lady Fu Hua's character would not be biased in this regard."

The man laughed:

“Of course I don’t doubt my old friend’s abilities, but isn’t there a saying in China that goes, ‘Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, while believe only one side and you will be misled’? Rita, your answer is not meaningless to me.”

“Then let’s do it this way. This will be a very easy task, Rita.”

"Oh, right."

Before hanging up, Otto uttered his last words.

"Go and check on that boy named Su Qing'an for me. Although he may not wake up, if he does, you might bring me some unexpected and interesting answers."

Su Qing'an?

Looking at the disconnected call, Rita muttered the name she had never heard before, somewhat puzzled.

In the next instant, a deafening noise filled her eardrums, and a strong backward thrust pressed the girl's delicate body forcefully into the sofa, proving that her earlier action of fastening her seatbelt was not meaningless.

This special plane, assigned by Destiny, has clearly undergone inhumane modifications, and its acceleration is already outside the normal range.

This was practically Odin's chariot, like an eight-legged winged horse riding on raging fire, roaring through the air with the fury of heavenly fire.

Beneath its seemingly normal exterior lies an astonishing speed akin to that of a supersonic aircraft; the noise, even after being amplified by the cabin, still causes discomfort to the eardrums and stimulates the nerves.

Rita clearly understood this from the beginning, as this speed was indeed very suitable for traveling.

After the plane had taken off, she elegantly poured herself a glass of orange juice.

Rita then sipped her drink while looking at the message Otto had sent, lost in thought.

Is Su Qingan safe?

95. The whispers of the gods have never left.

Himeko Murata is excellent and strong. She is the kind of warrior who can smile and calmly pull the pin on a suicide bomb even when she is about to die on the battlefield.

She had long since disregarded life and death, though sometimes she inevitably felt a little fear; the coldness of death could easily crush a person's bottom line.

But for some reason, she sometimes felt that dying in battle might not be such a bad ending.

Himeko Murata certainly did not have a death wish; rather, her will to live was so strong and persistent that it instilled fear in ordinary people.

She still has many promises and wishes that she hasn't been able to keep, so even if she faces a situation where she is certain to die, Himeko Murata will struggle as hard as she can, even if she looks terrible.

But sometimes, like when she stands on the balcony facing the boundless night, drinking cheap canned beer, the bitter and icy taste rushes into her throat.

The ground was littered with empty cans, and a slight burning sensation would gradually spread throughout her body. At this moment, the sea breeze on her face and the crescent moon hanging high in the sky would make her smile and sigh.

If... if there really is an afterlife.

Going somewhere to accompany them might also be a good choice.

How many people would actually like such a world and such a life?

The comfortable first half of my life has created a huge disconnect between me and the present.

Two completely opposite paths, two extreme lives.

The reason that led Himeko Murata down this path of no return may still be the memory she can never let go of.

But I won't regret it.

Step by step onto the battlefield, surviving to this day, in the time it took for a mere mortal to barely climb to where she is now, Himeko Murata has lost and gained so much.

But if you regret it, you'll be negating the friendship you once had with those comrades.

That's the only way.

Those were some of the few memories she could cherish in her heart. The less a person has, the more she will treasure it.

Just like Nishikujo Sara only smokes one brand of cigarettes and the strange dolls on the table that don't fit her personality.

Himeko Murata was the same way; she wasn't such an excessive drunkard before.

But now she has become addicted to alcohol, and almost every available storage space in the house is filled with it.

French brandy, Scottish whisky, Russian vodka, Cuban rum, Chinese baijiu... you can find almost every kind of liquor in the world in this store.

There was nothing we could do; that person said it before he died.

She felt a little regretful that she hadn't had the chance to taste all the wines in the world.

Himeko Murata would have to finish drinking it for her.

See, she's such a fool.

People who are important to you will remember even a casual remark and never forget it.

Besides, those were his final farewell words.

As a result, Himeko Murata became a complete alcoholic.

Later, she understood why the other person liked alcohol so much; perhaps in such a world, being drunk and never waking up was the wise thing to do.

But that person was still like a fool, willing to go through fire and water for the sake of protecting the world.

In the end, she broke her wings and fell onto the battlefield amidst dust and blood, bringing her life to a close.

This is always the fate of Valkyries.

Himeko Murata is another example.

Death can take many forms, but if she had a choice, as a woman, she would still prefer to die in a more poetic way.

Like a withered butterfly, like foam submerged in the ocean, or perhaps like the last ray of sunlight disappearing before darkness, that might not be bad.

Perhaps that's asking too much? Who could possibly die like that?

The woman laughed, as if she herself found her thoughts pretentious and ridiculous.

She casually tossed the empty can in her hand; the aluminum can made a crisp sound on the ground, then rolled to the side and fell silent.

Himeko Murata huddled in the corner of the room. With the curtains drawn shut, the dim light could only outline her silhouette. The white shirt she wore as pajamas was the only clothing she was wearing. Large swathes of her fair skin were exposed in the darkness, and her long, slender legs, completely naked, were straight and shapely.

She hugged her legs, her well-developed figure causing her soft breasts to curve into a taut arc, and her loose shirt revealing a hint of alluring whiteness.

The woman shook her head, and some of her loose red hair fell down, partially obscuring her skin, yet adding a touch of subtle allure.

Even as a simple woman, Himeko Murata is very charming.