Chapter 82 Himeko: The exchange student's name is Firefly, do you know her?
Through Fu Hua's efforts, the secret of the spheres was finally unveiled—they were sanctuary terminals. All the technology of the Previous Era was recorded within these metallic orbs; they represented the hope for eradicating the Honkai. However, for the humanity of the current era, this knowledge was far too advanced to be comprehended or integrated. Therefore, Cangxuan decided to seal these spheres away.
But this seal was not meant to be permanent. This was why Cangxuan sought out lands that humanity wouldn't tread upon for a long time; she wanted to place the spheres in locations only reachable by a sufficiently advanced civilization. One day, when humanity would finally be capable of wielding such knowledge, the legacy they left behind would surely answer mankind's call. Cangxuan believed that day would come; it was her duty, and her deepest wish. What remained was to protect these sites from Honkai infestation until humanity arrived. That was Fu Hua's responsibility.
After sealing the final sphere, Cangxuan told Fu Hua that she had recorded the locations of all the terminals on a single scroll.
["But remember, we are merely pioneers of civilization. If humans cannot reach this place by passing the trials of history through their own strength, then the knowledge they gain will only lead them to repeat our tragedy."]
["So you must wait patiently—wait for the day when humanity proves itself worthy."]
["Perhaps... you will have to wait alone for a very, very long time..."]
["I'm sorry for burdening you with this all by yourself."]
As the scroll was finished, a cinematic played. Cangxuan handed the scroll to Fu Hua. Otto Apocalypse took the opportunity to record the coordinates on the scroll and began an immediate analysis. Looking at Cangxuan's silhouette, a look of profound sorrow crossed Fu Hua's face.
["I'm sorry, my friend... from here on, you must walk the path alone..."]
[Cangxuan's words filled Fu Hua with guilt. If not for the Memory Deep Dive device, she would have forgotten these companions entirely.]
["No... Cangxuan, I'm the one who should be saying sorry..."]
Reaching this point in the game, Senti—who had been mocking everything—stopped her sharp remarks toward Cangxuan.
"You've had it rough, Old Timer... For some reason, you're practically immortal in the game, but the other pioneers always face the end of their lifespan. For the sake of the mission, everyone you know eventually leaves you behind. Having to endure such a vast stretch of time in total solitude..."
Senti scratched her head, feeling a surge of irritation. "Argh! This is too tragic, Old Timer! You're cool and powerful, sure, but this is just pitiful! If it were me, I'd have gone insane long ago!!"
Fu Hua remarked with emotion: "According to the game's timeline, Jingwei truly carried her mission for ages, living until the day humanity could earn that knowledge through their own strength."
"That might be true, but she lost her memories of her friends; that's what's really infuriating!" Senti clenched her fists and shouted indignantly. "And to think the knowledge in those spheres is being used by that bastard Otto! If a villain like him gets his hands on that tech, who knows what evil he'll cook up!"
The more Jingwei suffered, the angrier Senti became! The Old Timer had endured eons of loneliness as a pioneer to fight the Honkai and help the people of this era. Yet that scoundrel Otto, driven by selfish desires, not only protected the Honkai but also conducted countless inhumane experiments! He was truly the lowest of the low! Right now, Senti just wanted to land a heavy punch right on Otto's face! How does he have the nerve to call himself the Old Timer's friend!
However, something even more upsetting occurred. Later, as Fu Hua re-entered the memory rift, Otto informed her that any memories recovered here would be forgotten once she exited the simulation. Fu Hua felt a deep sense of shame; not only had she lost the scroll in history, but she had even forgotten where the spheres were hidden.
But Otto consoled her, saying that humans cannot defy the laws of nature—after thousands of years, even the deepest memories are bound to fade. The rifts in her mind were exactly what one would expect from such a long life. However, what Fu Hua didn't realize was that without the fragments she did manage to leave behind, even the most advanced memory devices couldn't have brought these events back to light.
Just as Fu Hua returned to her surface memories and prepared to step out of her bedroom to leave the mental space... it happened.
["I want your story to be passed down. I want everyone to love you."]
["I'm sorry for leaving this all to you..."]
[The images of Danzhu and Cangxuan flickered before Fu Hua's eyes.]
["Cangxuan... Danzhu..."]
[Otto reminded her: "I understand your feelings, but now is not the time for nostalgia."]
["I know."]
As Fu Hua spoke, the scene before her was suddenly clouded by a dark, murky corruption.
["Do you really want to leave?"]
[A familiar voice caused Fu Hua to freeze.]
["That voice... could it be her?"]
There was only one reason for Fu Hua's shock: The owner of that voice... was Ji Lin. In the next instant, a dark maiden wielding the Black Xuanyuan Sword and mounted on an armored steed pointed her blade at Fu Hua.
["No, you don't want to leave! You know that once you return to reality, these hard-won memories will vanish into the depths of your mind again! And then, you'll go back to being all alone!"]
[Ji Lin's appearance put Otto on high alert: "This is your own lingering attachment to your memories manifesting! It wants to trap you here forever! Don't be fooled, or you'll never return to the real world!"]
Clearly, for his own reasons, he absolutely did not want Fu Hua to be lost in her past!
["Stay. Here you have your friends, your memories, the proof that you existed. Jingwei... what you're forgetting isn't just us, it's your entire life!"]
The girl's words pierced Fu Hua like a physical blade. She knew only too well what leaving would mean. During their battle, Ji Lin continued to try and break Fu Hua's will with words.
["I can hear it—the exhausted cry of your soul. You are yearning for release."]
["In those thousands of years, how many people were merely passing travelers in your life? You don't remember any of them, do you?"]
However, the phantoms of the past could not halt Fu Hua's advance. True, these memories were like a beautiful dream. "But now is not the time for sleep!" Facing her own attachments, Fu Hua gave her final answer!
["I have a promise to keep, and things I must do. I have not forgotten that they once fought by my side. I have not forgotten their wish to protect this world!"]
["I am not alone; their will is always with me! I, standing here right now... am the proof that they once existed!"]
Fu Hua defeated the memory phantom and successfully returned to reality. However, upon waking, she once again lost those memories she had briefly reclaimed. This made Senti clench her fists, her eyes red and brimming with tears. "Old Timer, you're just too cool!" She lunged at Fu Hua, showering her with unreserved praise. "I'm making a post right now! You're my idol, Old Timer! Guardian of Shenzhou, pioneer of the Previous Era, carrying the mission of her fallen friends against eternal solitude... you are the literal definition of 'Beautiful, Tragic, and Strong'!"
Seeing her sister so worked up, Fu Hua gave a doting smile: "Alright, alright, whatever you say."
Senti grinned and held out her hand: "Great! Now, Old Timer, give me some allowance! I need to max out [Phoenix] to SSS-rank right now!"
Fu Hua's touching moment evaporated, her face turning deadpan: "Didn't I just give you allowance? You spent it all already?"
Senti looked smug: "Well, yeah, but it all went into your battlesuits! Look—except for the new Jingwei, I've got every single version of you at SSS-rank!"
Fu Hua let out a wry laugh: "You really are something..." Despite her grumbling, she handed over more money, allowing Senti to successfully reach SSS-rank for [Phoenix].
Watching Senti hugging her phone on the bed, occasionally shouting "Jingwei is so cool!", Fu Hua sighed: "The one you like is just the version of me in the game, isn't it?"
Senti seemed to sniff the air playfully, looking at her with a smirk: "Old Timer, are you actually jealous?"
Fu Hua rolled her eyes: "I don't need to be jealous of a game character."
Senti snorted: "Old Timer, it's not just the character I like! If she didn't look like you, I wouldn't have pulled for her at all!"
Looking at her sister's "logic," Fu Hua felt completely helpless. She couldn't help but think of Kiana Kaslana and Sirin: We're both pairs of sisters, so why do we feel so different?
The "The Forgotten" Chronicles story was another massive surprise for the players, coming right on the heels of "Will of the Herrscher." Everyone had assumed that after the high of "Will of the Herrscher," the side story would feel mundane. But Honkai 3rd proved the players wrong yet again.
[This is a completely different vibe from "Will of the Herrscher."]
[Exactly! If "Will of the Herrscher" gave you goosebumps and made you want to kneel before the Void Queen...]
[...then Fu Hua's side story left me with a profound sense of tragic heroism!]
[Ah! Fate again! Curse you, fatalism!]
[So Cangxuan and Danzhu are really gone? No! I refuse to accept this!]
[Will beautiful girls like Danzhu and Cangxuan never become playable characters?]
[Curse you, miHoYo! You have no heart!!]
The story of "The Forgotten" wasn't overly complex; it detailed Fu Hua reclaiming her past, overcoming its weight, and choosing to keep moving forward. The narrative didn't even try to force a sad atmosphere; in fact, the flashbacks with Cangxuan and Danzhu were quite humorous. But that was exactly the point. Realizing that while everything was vivid in her mind, in reality, her companions had long since returned to the dust... it left many players feeling a sharp pang of sorrow.
[D-dammit! Is this really a waifu game? You show absolutely no mercy when breaking our hearts, do you?]
[I thought this was a happy story, but is the plot heading in a weird direction now?]
[If the side stories are this heartbreaking, I'm genuinely worried about Professor Himeko in the main story now!]
[It's over, I'm actually panicking now! Is this damn writer sharpening his knife for the next update?!]
[No... surely not? Himeko is part of the main cast; they wouldn't just kill her off like that, right?]
The "The Forgotten" arc allowed players to sniff out a hint of danger, leaving everyone on edge! After all, Himeko had explicitly stated in the main story that her time was running out! There might be a cure at Schicksal HQ, but what if there wasn't? The Void Queen's power was so terrifying that even Raiden Mei and 70% of the Anti-Entropy mecha were like ants to her. How could the protagonists possibly defeat her? There wasn't a single ray of hope!
Instantly, the forums were flooded with countless theories about the plot... And so, amidst the players' mounting anxiety, two weeks flew by.
Su Mu closed the door, grabbed a Coke from the fridge, and collapsed onto the sofa to catch his breath. Driven by the insane hype for "Will of the Herrscher," the game's revenue had peaked again, even surpassing the numbers from the initial launch. The allure of a white-haired waifu was truly beyond anyone's expectations. Unsurprisingly, in the last half-month, miHoYo had struck gold again with Honkai Impact 3rd.
"Director Su, the Chapter 9 main story content is finalized. The new animated short has entered the final dubbing stage. Everything is proceeding according to schedule."
Su Mu nodded as he read the message from Rita Rossweisse. These contents were for the next major version, "Vermilion Sword," scheduled for next month. Typically, for a live-service game, the content going live now would have begun production three versions ago. It had to be said that Rita was exceptionally capable. With her assistance, Su Mu's productivity had at least doubled.
This finally afforded Su Mu some personal time. Usually at this hour, he'd still be grinding away at the office. Now, he could actually go home, relax with a Coke, and watch some TV... a level of leisure he hadn't experienced in a while. Next up was the version update in a few days, which would introduce the "Sakura Samsara" Open World and the "Holy Maiden Kallen" arc. It would allow players to delve into Otto's history and understand exactly what the Overseer had endured.
With the immediate future handled, Su Mu turned his thoughts to other matters. While Honkai 3rd was a massive hit and he was now a famous figure in the industry, it wasn't enough. It was time to consider the direction of his next game... Browsing through the various source codes in his mind, Su Mu fell into deep thought. Should he stick to mobile games, move into PC gaming, or try to dominate the single-player market? The success of Honkai 3rd had granted him enough Reputation Points to redeem almost any source code; his options were virtually limitless.
As he was pondering, there was a knock at his door. "?" Su Mu was puzzled. He hadn't ordered delivery; who would be visiting at this hour?
"It's me."
Standing outside was Murata Himeko, dressed in a crisp white shirt and a black pencil skirt, her expression solemn. Crucially, her outfit was perfectly neat, her hair wasn't a mess, and there wasn't even a hint of alcohol on her breath. Su Mu looked at her as if she were an alien. Wait, is this really the same Auntie Himeko who would get drunk and crash on his bed by mistake?
"What's with the face? Do you really think all I do every day is drink and sleep?" Himeko asked.
"Is there something I can help you with, Sister Himeko?" Su Mu asked.
"It's a long story..." Himeko sighed. She looked genuinely troubled. "Did you know our university has an exchange student arriving soon? I just got back from a meeting... basically, those old fogies think I spend all my time slacking off or sleeping... so they dumped all the responsibilities regarding the exchange student on me."
Su Mu understood now. No wonder she was dressed so formally; she had just come from a faculty meeting.
"The thing is, this exchange student has this really strange obsession with mecha. She specifically wants to study interstellar propulsion with me so she can research how to overcome technical hurdles and create a new energy source..."
The more Su Mu heard, the more his internal alarm bells rang. Mecha? Energy? He had no idea what Himeko was getting at.
"May I ask what this girl's name is?"
"Mhm... I think her name is Firefly?"
"?"
Although he already knew characters from Honkai: Star Rail existed in this world, hearing that name still made a massive question mark slowly appear in Su Mu's mind.
End of Chapter