Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

"What a pleasant surprise…" Rita greeted, her tone polite.

"Greetings, Fu Hua," Fu Hua replied, her mind racing. Rita? Here?

This unexpected encounter shocked both of them, but Fu Hua's alarm was greater. Did Otto discover my unauthorized trip? She'd asked Welt to cover her tracks. Why send Rita to reprimand her? Is Otto watching me this closely? Her already sour mood worsened.

…

A few days ago, Fu Hua had traveled to Singapore to confront Lin Wei.

"What are you up to?" she'd intended to ask.

But he'd vanished. The cherry blossoms in the vase were withered. She'd come with good intentions, even risking exposure, wanting to understand his plans and offer him a job at Anti-Entropy—Welt's idea.

Now, she'd been stood up.

He'd appeared, disrupted her life, and vanished. A year later, he reappeared, only to disappear again just as she tried to find him. If not for the familiar handwriting in the diary, she'd think she was chasing a phantom.

She couldn't wait any longer. A weekend absence was manageable, but skipping classes on Monday? Unthinkable for the class president and model student. News would reach Otto instantly, and he'd be showering her with unwanted attention. Even Welt advised her to return and try again later.

Reluctantly, she prepared to leave. She'd left a message for Lin Wei, explaining her visit and asking him to contact her through Anti-Entropy. She needed to speak with him face-to-face.

Back at St. Freya, she'd be back in her role as Valkyrie Fu Hua, never having left. She could "leave" again at a more convenient time.

But Rita's appearance shattered her plans, darkening her mood further. It also signaled a potential clash between Otto and Lin Wei, a scenario she desperately wanted to avoid.

The thought of those two—one holding humanity hostage, the other a master manipulator—meeting… It would be more terrifying than a Herrscher awakening.

I have to play dumb, she decided. Maintaining her usual composure, she feigned surprise.

"Rita? What are you doing here?" she asked, striving for a natural tone. Years of experience made this easy.

"Your sudden departure from K423 suggests an important matter," Rita said, her voice respectful, her posture impeccable. "Was it an assignment from the Overseer?" She paused, feigning a slip of the tongue. "Forgive my intrusion, Fu Hua. I didn't mean to pry. If it's confidential, please disregard my question…"

This girl… Fu Hua thought, exasperated. As always, Rita was unreadable. Was it a probe? Was she also feigning ignorance? Rita's usual demeanor was too ambiguous to decipher.

Fu Hua was rarely fooled, but Rita was an exception. She was wary of the seemingly manipulative girl, their relationship distant at best.

Further pleasantries would only make her look weak. She decided to be direct. "Aren't you here on the same mission?" Just get to the point, she thought.

"I don't understand, Fu Hua," Rita responded smoothly, her wine-red eyes feigning confusion. Her polite tone masked any hint of her true intentions.

Like her personality, Rita's approach was a mix of charm and ruthlessness, carefully concealed until the last moment. It was impossible to know which hand she was offering.

Fu Hua, forced to answer, explained, "Otto detected unusual activity by Anti-Entropy at St. Freya. He asked me to investigate. That's why I'm here." She paused, studying Rita. "Why are you here? Did Otto send you?" Your turn, she thought. 

And what does Otto really want you to do? She was ready to reveal her true actions to Welt and confront Otto. You asked me to investigate Bronya. I followed the leads here, and now you send your confidante to question me? Don't push it, Otto!

"I see. It seems we are on the same mission," Rita said, her expression understanding. "Amber also detected unusual activity from Anti-Entropy and sent me to investigate." She paused. "Perhaps we could share information?" Then, with a touch of self-deprecation, "I confess, my only lead is communication records between Anti-Entropy and Singapore..."

"...That's it?" Fu Hua frowned, genuinely irritated. If Rita hadn't received specialized training, Fu Hua would have used her feathers to probe her memories.

Communication records? With Singapore? Everyone had secret branches worldwide. Schicksal had a presence in Singapore too. Who are you trying to fool?

Fu Hua's irritation was partly deliberate.

Rita, sensing Fu Hua's annoyance, explained the situation in detail.

"Anti-Entropy's leadership has vanished? And their last communication was with Singapore?" Fu Hua's surprise was genuine. That was significant. Rita's presence was now justified. Is Lin Wei's disappearance connected?

"You… weren't aware?" Rita was surprised by Fu Hua's reaction.

"...It seems our encounter truly is a coincidence," Fu Hua said, relieved. If it wasn't about Lin Wei, and Rita was focused on Anti-Entropy, she could relax. "Otto noticed Bronya's… Do you know her?" Rita shook her head. "He noticed her frequent access to Schicksal's database and suspected Anti-Entropy's involvement. He asked me to investigate."

"I see..." Rita nodded, slightly disappointed it wasn't related to her mission.

"You know Schicksal monitors St. Freya closely. My role was minimal." Rita nodded, recalling her frequent visits.

"I found nothing unusual, except one thing…" Fu Hua's expression turned odd, piquing Rita's curiosity.

"Bronya… has been playing online games with an IP address in Singapore…" Fu Hua sounded almost embarrassed.

"Interesting…" Rita's expression remained neutral. "You seem relaxed, Fu Hua. I assume this lead was a dead end?"

"Indeed. A wasted trip," Fu Hua confirmed. "I've wasted enough time. I must return to St. Freya and my duties." Anything else? she implied.

"Safe travels, Fu Hua." Rita paused, then asked, "Could you share that IP address?"

Fu Hua was taken aback. What good was such a trivial clue?

"I'm new here, and somewhat lost," Rita explained with a smile. "Perhaps this small detail could lead to something."

"…I suppose." Fu Hua reluctantly provided a random address, far from Lin Wei's apartment.

"Thank you. Safe travels." Rita smiled, seeing Fu Hua off.

Fu Hua watched Rita for a moment, then headed towards her gate, walking through the long corridors lined with duty-free shops. After a considerable distance, she slipped into a shop, pretending to browse, then exited through the back, leaving the airport through a different route. She needed to warn Lin Wei; the "game channel" was compromised.

Across the hall, in another shop, Rita emerged, watching Fu Hua disappear.

"Anxiety alters one's scent," she murmured.

"I hope this doesn't escalate. I truly…" Rita sighed, her expression regretful. "I'd hate to fight you, Fu Hua…"

......

"This world is so fascinating, like dominoes. One nudge, and a grand spectacle unfolds!" Gray Serpent closed his laptop, his voice a low, mechanical hum. "All it takes is a gentle push… How amusing…"

He stood, carrying the laptop in one hand and gently leading a silent girl with the other. "Come, child. Return to where you belong." His voice held a hint of something resembling gentleness. "You are the world's newborn. Don't cling to the ashes of the past."

"…I… will… kill… you…" The girl, still looking down, hissed through gritted teeth.

"You shouldn't hate me, child," Gray Serpent said calmly.

"You killed my father! You took everything from me!" the girl cried, struggling against his grip, but to no avail. Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion, as though she were speaking to herself, disgusted with her own weakness.

"New life often comes at the cost of other lives," Gray Serpent continued, his tone unperturbed. "Your hands are also stained with blood, child. You have no right to hate me."

"…What?" the girl asked, confused. Stained with blood? Her?

"Oh? Forgotten already? How kind of you," Gray Serpent glanced at her with his crimson eye, understanding her state.

The girl felt a surge of shame.

"It's alright. You'll forget the rest too," he said, his voice cold, like a final judgment.

"What…?" the girl asked, her confusion turning to horror. "You're going to make me forget my father?!" She struggled desperately, pulling a simple pair of scissors from her sleeve. This was her last chance! "Just kill me!" she shrieked, lunging at him.

"The dead are not worth remembering." Gray Serpent ignored her feeble attack, tightening his grip, paralyzing her. "This is the ladder of flesh and blood, leading to the tower of life, built on grains of sand… Child, this is the curse of rebirth."

"…Ha… Haha…" The girl's laughter was resigned, mocking her own helplessness. Then, her voice trembling, she whispered, "I'm… that valuable?"

Gray Serpent continued walking, his silence an answer.

"So… you won't kill me, will you?" Her voice lightened, accepting her fate.

His continued silence confirmed her assumption.

"Ha! I see…" Suddenly, she looked up, a radiant smile on her young face, embracing her "rebirth."

But from her narrowed eyes, tears streamed down her cheeks like a torrential downpour.

"Then pray I never remember…" she whispered, her voice turning chillingly cold. "Because I swear… I will kill you!"

Gray Serpent remained unmoved, his grip gentle yet firm, indifferent to her hatred and curses.

"Remember your rage today, child," he said softly. "And remember your helplessness. Because this… this is the true face of life."