Chat group, if you have anything to say to my Holy Sword,

Task 1: Celestial Meteor.

Explore the impending crisis and resolve it. The more you learn during this mission, the greater the rewards you will receive upon completion.

If it were someone else who came here, they might have to explore slowly, but Xiling has a general understanding of the situation here, so this is God's-eye view.

In response to Remian's question, Xiling smiled and said, "We're not in a rush for this mission. We'll probably be staying here for quite some time, so the first thing we need to do is..." Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xiling snapped her fingers.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

So, with the ample funds they exchanged from the chat group's marketplace, the four of them bought a spacious apartment in Sky City that very day and moved in immediately.

-

One week later, at night.

Kevin and Xiling sat on chairs provided by a convenience store.

"Sigh, this exploration mission is really troublesome." Xiling curled his lips in disdain. He originally thought that he could complete the mission quickly by understanding the plot, but after so long, the completion rate was only 11%. And that 11% was obtained by directly entering the Divine City Medicine. Xiling originally thought this mission would be very simple.

"Don't people in this era know the horror of the Honkai? Why didn't this city find the cause of the Honkai and deal with it?" Kevin asked, sitting on the other side with a puzzled look.

The reason they were there so late at night was because a Honkai attack had just occurred in the northern region, and they happened to be on the scene when it was quickly suppressed.

“How would I know? Maybe... they have their own plans?” Xiling shrugged.

"I hope so," Kevin said with some concern.

Xiling turned her head, looked at him, and smiled. "Alright, aren't we right here? What are you worried about?"

“That’s true.” Kevin smiled and stood up. “Go get something to eat if you’re hungry.”

“Okay, what do you want to eat?” Xiling asked Kevin.

Kevin smiled but didn't say anything. He turned and walked into the convenience store. A few minutes later, Xiling looked at the instant noodles in Kevin's hand in shock and said, "Brother Kai, are we out of money?"

"You should be grateful to have something to eat, why are you being so picky! It's the middle of the night, where else can you find food besides a convenience store? Be content!" Kevin said irritably as he placed the instant noodles on the table.

"I didn't say I was disgusted!" Xiling said with a smile, placing her bowl in front of her.

"By the way, when did you say I'd be coming out?" Kevin asked another question while they were waiting.

"Maybe they've already come out? I'm not too sure about that either." Xiling awkwardly scratched her head.

Under Kevin's disapproving gaze, Xiling spoke as if explaining, "Well, you'll see him eventually. Just think of it as giving yourself more time to mentally prepare yourself! Think about what to say when you meet him. You can't just draw your sword right away, can you? Besides, maybe another person already knows your face."

“You’re right…” Kevin sighed helplessly. Just then, the steam from the edge of the paper bowl subsided, and a smell of artificial flavoring and oil filled the air. “Alright, the noodles are ready. Eat up.” Kevin picked up his fork, ready to lift the lid.

"Alright!" Xiling reached out to remove the lid from her bowl.

Just as their fingertips were about to touch the edge of the instant noodle bowl, their movements seemed to be paused, freezing them in mid-air.

Almost at the same instant, the two turned their heads and looked at the dark alleyway on the side of the convenience store, which was completely swallowed by the shadow of the huge billboard.

A surge of energy! Though faint and fleeting, it was like a firefly in the night to their keen senses—it was Honkai energy!

Heavy footsteps came from the alley the next second.

Snap... Snap... Snap...

That wasn't normal walking; it was more like someone dragging their leaden legs, having exhausted their last bit of strength, yet still moving forward instinctively.

Under the watchful eyes of Xiling and Kevin, a slender figure staggered out from the alleyway, exposed to the edge of the convenience store's pale light.

It was a white-haired girl.

She kept her head down, her posture extremely awkward—her right hand was pressed tightly against her left arm near her shoulder, as if she were enduring immense pain. With each step she took, her thin shoulder would sway unnaturally, as if it would fall apart at any moment.

She seemed completely oblivious to the two people sitting in chairs a few meters away, or perhaps her senses and mind were too exhausted to process any extra information.

However, she soon stopped in her tracks. A unique scent in the air entered her nostrils, and the girl, who had been calm, raised her head and looked at Xiling and Kevin sitting in the convenience store. More accurately, she focused on the two bowls of instant noodles in Xiling and Kevin's hands, which were still steaming.

The girl's throat bobbed very slightly, and her chapped lips opened and closed silently.

"Instant noodles..." Her eyes were unfocused, as if she were recalling something. "It's been so long... since I've had them..."

As she was immersed in that brief and illusory warm memory, the alluring fragrance in her memory seemed to become clearer and more real... even overshadowing the burning pain coming from her body!

Just then, a gentle voice, with a slightly familiar tone, rang out in her ear without warning:

"Hey, are you starving? Want some?"

The girl shuddered and was suddenly jolted awake from the quagmire of her thoughts!

What came into her view was a young man with white hair. He had silently walked up to her, just a few steps away, holding a bowl of instant noodles and offering it to her. He had a gentle and open smile on his face, and his eyes did not show the usual wariness or pity, but only a pure, casual feeling, as if he were casually greeting a neighbor who hadn't eaten.

The girl's reason screamed a warning: Lower your head! Refuse! Leave! Don't go near anyone! And don't accept anyone's kindness! You are in grave danger right now!

At this very moment, a certain will in her mind kept speaking in her ear, telling her that she should leave.

However, the body betrayed reason.

Her gaze was fixed on the steaming bowl of noodles, and what truly stirred her emotions was the inexplicable aura emanating from the other person that made her feel at ease.

That feeling... was wonderful; it was as if, under that sense of peace, even her own consciousness quieted down.

Before she could even process what was happening, she had already nodded uncontrollably.

"……Thanks……"

"Thank you for your help."

Inside the convenience store, under bright lights.

Seeing the white-haired girl eating instant noodles in the convenience store, Xiling recognized her as Kiana Kaslana, the protagonist of this world.

"Eat slowly, eat slowly, don't rush." ​​Kevin took two more buckets of instant noodles from the convenience store, placed them on the table, and reminded him.

"I guess you'll have to go buy some more," Xiling said to Kevin.

Kevin agreed, so he turned around and went back into the convenience store.

Kiana ate her instant noodles in big mouthfuls, completely ignoring how hot they were. She hadn't eaten anything hot in a long time since that incident. She had heard Kevin's words, but she just couldn't stop eating. It wasn't that the food was particularly delicious; her sense of food had disappeared. But with each bite of instant noodles, a taste she missed would appear in her heart. She even had a strange feeling that her body, which had been ravaged by Honkai energy... was slowly beginning to repair itself.

But... is that really just an illusion caused by instant noodles?

The answer is no.

But it wasn't the instant noodles that gave Kiana that feeling; rather, it was Xiling who was constantly using magic to repair Kiana's body.

Xiling watched Kiana with a smile. Kiana ate more and more slowly. Her nerves, which had been tense due to hunger and pain, relaxed without her realizing it. The warmth that spread from her stomach to her limbs was so real, and the unprecedented sense of security enveloped her like warm water.

When Kevin walked out of the convenience store, the sight that greeted him made him pause for a moment.

The instant noodles were gone from the table. Kiana was lying face down on the plastic tabletop, fast asleep.

Her disheveled white hair spread out, and her face, which still bore traces of pain even in her sleep, now strangely exuded a long-lost tranquility.

Xiling watched Kevin walk out and shrugged with a smile.

Kevin shook his head helplessly.

Ignoring the scrutiny of that broken spiritual will.

Xiling stood up and carried the girl on his back. He really didn't expect that the incident he and Kevin dealt with might be the beginning of the girl's awakening.

-

In her daze, Kiana's heavy eyelids opened a crack, revealing a completely unfamiliar, pure white ceiling.

She blinked in confusion, her mind blank, with only the unfamiliar ceiling in her field of vision. After a long while, her body belatedly felt the soft mattress beneath her and the blankets that enveloped her, exuding the scent of sunshine and cleanliness.

A sense of unreality gripped her.

She slowly sat up and looked around. It was a rather exquisite and cozy room. Morning light streamed in through the clean French windows, casting golden dappled patterns on the floor, and a refreshing scent filled the air.

"Where...is this?" she murmured softly, instinctively clutching the soft, clean women's pajamas she was wearing. Fragments of memory, like pebbles thrown into a lake, began to ripple chaotically.

Sky City... Collapse... Intense battle... Exhausted... Dragging my aching body, I crawled into a dimly lit alley... At the alley entrance... The aroma of instant noodles... And then... And then... It seemed like two figures? A white-haired man offering me instant noodles...

What happened next? A complete blank! It was as if her memory had been abruptly severed. She only remembered the warm aroma of food and a... strange, comforting feeling?

Wait! Clothes!

Kiana abruptly lowered her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her pajamas tightly. A wave of panic and some unpleasant thoughts instantly washed over her, sending a chill down her spine. However, just as this chill was about to spread—

"Your cooking isn't as good as mine!"

"No! You're so much better than me!"

Kiana's breath hitched. It was the voice of those two men from last night! The white-haired man who handed her the instant noodles, and the owner of the other voice!

A strong sense of vigilance and a vague sense of security tugged at her heartstrings. She slid off the bed almost silently. Beside the bed was a pair of brand-new, perfectly sized soft-soled slippers. She hesitated for a moment, then slipped on them, her steps as light as a cat's, and quietly opened the heavy door a crack.

The view of the living room came into view as the gap widened.

Xiling pointed at a dish and shouted, "At least in terms of appearance, I've already won half the battle against you."

Kevin crossed his arms and retorted, "Then your taste is still far inferior to mine!"

The debate about the lower limit of cooking skills was reaching its climax. Kiana was so engrossed in the argument that she momentarily forgot where she was. Just then, a gentle female voice softly sounded beside her:

"woke up?"

"Ah!?" Kiana's heart skipped a beat at the sudden sound. She hurriedly turned around and saw a gentle-looking older sister with long pink hair standing by the door, smiling at her with pure kindness and concern.

Seeing the girl's startled reaction, Remien's smile softened. "Don't be afraid," she said, her voice even gentler. "Hmm... if I said we're not bad people, would you believe me?" Remien winked playfully at Kiana, trying to ease her tension with a lighthearted joke.

"I helped you change your clothes, I hope you don't mind," she added naturally, her tone frank and caring.

Kiana's cheeks flushed slightly, and she subconsciously lowered her head, her voice barely audible, "No... I don't mind."

She genuinely didn't mind; on the contrary, she felt a sense of... security from being well taken care of? This feeling was both familiar and strange.

Just then, another person came out of the kitchen. The faded one placed a plate of food in each hand on the table, then looked at the two dishes that Kevin and Xiling had made with disdain.

"I'm telling you two... you shouldn't go into the kitchen next time. It feels like... you're letting down the food."

If it were anything else, Xiling and Kevin would definitely object, but when it comes to cooking skills, there's no doubt about it.

Just then, Xiling seemed to notice that Kiana had woken up, and waved to her with a smile: "Yo! Sleeping Beauty is awake? How was your sleep?"

Faced with such a casual and natural greeting, Kiana was speechless for a moment. She had no idea how to respond to this unguarded kindness.

Just then, Kevin waved to her. "Come and eat."

"No..." Kiana almost reflexively wanted to refuse. Leave! She couldn't drag these kind people down with her! Thank them, then leave immediately! That was the only thought in her mind.

However, a hand gently grasped her slightly cool wrist.

"You haven't washed up yet?" Remian's voice was still gentle. "Come with me, the washroom is over here."

As if by some strange twist of fate, or rather, faced with that tenderness, Kiana offered almost no effective resistance and was led to the washroom by Remian.

A brand-new toothbrush, freshly squeezed toothpaste, and perfectly warm water for washing her face… Remien meticulously prepared everything and handed it to Kiana. Kiana remained in a dazed, passive state throughout, like a finely programmed doll, mechanically brushing her teeth in front of the mirror, the warm water pattering on her face with a clear tactile sensation.

The white-haired girl in the mirror had a look of lingering weariness and a hint of confusion in her eyes.

"What am I doing..." Kiana silently questioned her reflection in the mirror. I should leave immediately! Immediately! Anyone who comes near me will only meet with misfortune! Mei... Himeko-sensei... Bronya... Aunt Theresa... it's all because of... because of me...

Overwhelmed by immense pain and self-reproach, a wave of icy despair washed over her, instantly drowning out any remaining warmth. She clenched her fists, her nails digging almost into her palms—she had to go!

In that moment of overwhelming determination, a detail she had overlooked popped into her mind!

Her body! Her body! And that voice!

From the moment she woke up, all her attention was diverted by the unfamiliar surroundings and the kind people around her, to the point that she completely ignored... the Honkai energy eroding her body and the voice that was constantly calling out to her, all of that had disappeared!

The girl in the mirror had blue pupils that were dilated with shock, filled with bewilderment and huge question marks.

"What...what...is going on?!"

The enormous mystery temporarily overshadowed the urge to escape, and Kiana finished washing up.

When she walked out of the bathroom with slightly unsteady steps, everyone was already seated at the dining table in the living room, but no one touched their chopsticks.

Because there was a clearly empty space next to the table, with clean bowls and chopsticks on it—obviously, it was reserved for her.

"All done? Perfect timing! Come and eat!" Xiling immediately greeted them warmly. "Come on, you can be the judge! Let's see if my charcoal-grilled pork is more creative, or Kevin's Stargazing Pie is better?"

Kiana stopped a few steps from the table, looking at the empty seat and the encouraging, gentle smiles from the others. Once again, she felt a sense of unease and uncertainty. Should she stay? Face this unfamiliar world? Face her body's strange regeneration? Should she ask? How should she ask?

Just then, Xiling got up from her seat, walked around the table in a few steps, came behind Kiana, gently placed her hands on Kiana's shoulders, and with a gentle and natural force, pushed her into the empty seat and gently pressed her down to sit.