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

"Every time we meet, Mr. Lin Wei always brings unexpected surprises, although this is not unexpected."

Gray Serpent, as always, held his black umbrella, which he probably ordered in bulk from some manufacturer. He slowly walked to a distance not too far or too close from Lin Wei, stopped, raised his hands slightly to the sides, indicating that he was not a threat, and said in his usual muffled voice,

"Mr. Lin Wei doesn't seem surprised by my presence, which is rather unexpected."

"Gray Serpent, how did you..."

Come alone?

But before she could finish the second half of the sentence, Lin Wei stuffed the Staff of Catastrophe back into her mouth.

He had already retrieved the black greatsword at some point, and didn't even bother to look at Jackal anymore. He just tossed the demonic blade in his hand lightly and instructed,

"Sakura, keep an eye on her."

As he spoke, the air beside him rippled, and the pink-haired, long-eared Yae Sakura reappeared, catching the demonic blade in mid-air. The scabbard "accidentally" bumped Jackal's neck again, making her eyes roll back and faint again.

"..."

Lin Wei was speechless, thinking that this pink-haired girl was indeed rotten to the core. He could only wave his hand,

"Take her away!"

Yae Sakura glanced at her, then casually slung Jackal's slender body over her shoulder and walked to the side. It was as if she had returned to 500 years ago, hunting in the mountains around Yae Village.

Lin Wei letting Yae Sakura take away the demonic blade and the Staff of Catastrophe, and Gray Serpent's slight raising of his hands, had the same meaning—disarming, showing that he had no hostility, and being frank.

Of course, this was just a superficial gesture—just as Jackal didn't see Lin Wei put down the Key of Erosion, Lin Wei couldn't guarantee that Gray Serpent wasn't hiding some other trump card behind his empty hands.

But in any case, the meaning and attitude of doing so were clearly conveyed to the other party—willing to talk, able to talk.

Yae Sakura was very confident about Gray Serpent, because he couldn't threaten Lin Wei. Even if something unexpected happened, she was confident that she could arrive in time.

"Mr. Gray Serpent always likes to say things that people can't understand, which is easy to understand."

After Yae Sakura turned and started to leave, Lin Wei retorted,

"Alright, the irrelevant people have left. Let's get straight to the point. Mr. Gray Serpent wouldn't make me, the guest, speak first, would he?"

Gray Serpent didn't answer directly, but looked at Yae Sakura's gradually receding figure with great interest, and said with some emotion,

"Stigmata formed from humans will indeed be another natural ideal type. Mr. Lin Wei can really bring people endless surprises..."

After sighing, he slowly turned his head back, looked at Lin Wei with his mechanical eye emitting a dark red light,

"Do you know what this means?"

"Sorry, I'm not interested in your Stigmata Project."

Lin Wei lowered his head and patted the seemingly messy corners of his clothes, speaking in a bored tone, sounding a bit evasive.

"It seems that Mr. Lin Wei does indeed know a lot of things. This is really an interesting thing."

Gray Serpent naturally understood the implied meaning in Lin Wei's words and was slightly surprised.

"What, does Mr. Gray Serpent mean... knowing too much, so you plan to silence me?"

Lin Wei sneered, not bothering to explain, but directly and mercilessly mocked,

"Doesn't Mr. Gray Serpent also know a lot? Like that beautiful lady just now, the wise Dr. Jackal, mistook her for someone in the Elysian Realm. But Mr. Gray Serpent didn't, which is quite surprising."

In this negotiation, which had just been preceded by armed conflict, maintaining so-called "due etiquette" would only make others think you were easy to bully, so it was better to be aggressive.

"The deceased cannot step out of their final tomb, only the living pass by the monument. Humans call it—'inheritance'."

Gray Serpent shook his head and said matter-of-factly,

"Regarding Ms. Yae Sakura, Schicksal has some records—their Saintess mentioned some things in her final judgment after returning. And at that time, a Gray Serpent happened to be present to listen. Therefore, combined with Mr. Lin Wei's heroic deeds in Nagazora City, the correct answer is not difficult to guess."

Although SAKURA and the MANTISes from 50,000 years ago who had chased him for a long time, killed him more than once, and finally died before the final twilight, and whom he had once commemorated in front of her grave after her death, were extremely similar, he knew that this was just another cherry blossom blooming after the turn of the era.

"...You're really everywhere."

Hearing him say this, Lin Wei couldn't help but be speechless.

Gray Serpent personally witnessed the entire process of Kallen's trial, which was a bit beyond his expectations, but thinking about it, it was quite reasonable.

After all, Gray Serpent had already existed 50,000 years ago, and had countless clones, traveling all over the world.

And the rotten and incompetent old Schicksal 500 years ago, with its security system, was probably not much better than a sieve. It was perfectly normal for Gray Serpent to sneak in under some pretext.

"We've talked about idle matters for so long, it's almost time. Speak, the ubiquitous Mr. Gray Serpent, you know what I want to know."

Lin Wei said expressionlessly,

"Although I'm just an idle person with plenty of time, it doesn't mean that I'm interested in playing boring guessing games with you here. So, please don't waste my patience—respected Mr. Gray Serpent."

Although Lin Wei's words were impolite, Gray Serpent didn't take offense. Instead, he looked Lin Wei up and down with an interested expression—God knows how Lin Wei read this expression from his masked face.

Gray Serpent looked him up and down, and then took a few steps forward.

Lin Wei narrowed his eyes and didn't stop him.

"Hehe, this is our third meeting, Mr. Lin Wei?"

Gray Serpent only took two steps and stopped again, speaking in a tone of reminiscing about the past,

"At the first meeting, Mr. Lin Wei presented a posture of 'desperate bluffing' in front of me. And after more than half a year, at the second meeting, Mr. Lin Wei's appearance in front of me was called 'cautious and prudent'. Hehehe, it's really quite an interesting change..."

"So you're here to mock me?"

Lin Wei chuckled and didn't take offense,

"If that's your purpose, then I'll be very disappointed."

"Today is the third meeting, exactly one year after the first. Today's Mr. Lin Wei is indeed much more confident and domineering."

Gray Serpent didn't get angry at Lin Wei's somewhat rude interruption, but said in an appreciative tone,

"To have so many changes in such a short period of time is really admirable."

"Heh, I thought you were going to say something?"

Lin Wei sneered. Just as he wouldn't be angered by the first half of Gray Serpent's words, he wouldn't be complacent by the last paragraph of praise. He just responded lightly,

"Humans are such creatures. They will make different postures and behaviors due to different times, different places, different interests, and different demands."

"A year ago, I was facing death and desperately trying to survive, so naturally I was desperate. And because I had nothing, and in fact needed something from others, I naturally bluffed to gain the initiative."

"A few months ago, when I just left the Elysian Realm, I was confused and didn't know where to go. And I was focused on stability and didn't want to cause trouble, so naturally I seemed a bit more cautious—as for prudence, it has always been my virtue."

Lin Wei paused and continued,

"And now, I've already captured the person, and I've already broken the situation. Things have come to this, why should I deceive myself? I only have one question for you..."

At this point, Lin Wei was too lazy to beat around the bush. He held out one hand, as if he could pull out a sharp weapon from the air at any time. His eyes stared at Gray Serpent, and he asked word by word,

"Gray Serpent, do you want to be an enemy or a friend?"

At this moment, Lin Wei no longer considered any possible consequences, good or bad. He only knew that if Gray Serpent's next sentence couldn't satisfy him, he really wouldn't mind starting a fight immediately.

Although he didn't want to take the initiative to cause trouble, if the other party had already bullied him to his face, Lin Wei wouldn't mind flipping the table. At worst, everyone would be embarrassed!

At this moment, Lin Wei was even a little eager to try,

Because he really wanted to know: after losing both Gray Serpent and Jackal, and with Raven already having left, could World Serpent still function normally?

Gray Serpent obviously read this subtle attitude of Lin Wei's, and took a step back, saying calmly,

"I'm a businessman, traveling north and south, harmony brings wealth."

Harmony brings wealth?

Heh, you?

Lin Wei narrowed his eyes and looked at Gray Serpent, sneering.

Gray Serpent probably looked like this when facing the "kill him every time I see him" Feathered Hare, right?

It's really Gray Serpent's exclusive "business"!

But the meaning was very clear—he didn't want to be an enemy. That made things easier.

"Talk about business? Good! I happen to have a business deal here."

Lin Wei said lightly, raising a hand slightly, gesturing,

"Jackal's life, name your price."

"Mr. Lin Wei is really straightforward."

Gray Serpent said calmly, as if he were really conducting some business negotiation,

"Isn't the Staff of Underworld you obtained valuable enough?"

"That's my trophy. If you want to redeem it..."

Lin Wei was not polite at all, and said indifferently,

"The Staff of Underworld and Jackal, you can only choose one."

Lin Wei had been trying to provoke Gray Serpent.

"Then there's no need to choose. Although the Staff of Underworld is precious, it's not irreplaceable."

But Gray Serpent's attitude today was surprisingly friendly. Not only was he not angry, but he nodded quite approvingly, as if he had no objection to this. He just continued to speak in his muffled voice,

"And if Jackal unfortunately fell into Schicksal's hands, the losses would be immeasurable."

Speaking of this, Gray Serpent even raised his eyes to look at Lin Wei, and said calmly,

"Therefore, I also want to thank you for your assistance—as for that Schicksal Overseer's slight hostility and infamy, it's not worth mentioning to a snake."

Lin Wei frowned.

Who are you saying is "not worth mentioning", Otto, or me?

Or is it both of us?

But Lin Wei naturally wouldn't ask this question directly, but sneered,

"Is that so? Wasn't all this carefully planned by you, Mr. Gray Serpent? You still have to thank me? Are you making some boring joke?"

"..."

Gray Serpent shook his head, and he was also very bitter in his heart.

The game in Manila was indeed his idea, but the unexpected participation of the Schicksal Overseer was indeed beyond his expectations.

But if it was just Otto, it wouldn't be a big deal. Gray Serpent believed that he had plenty of ways to deal with him.

But that S-rank Valkyrie named Durandal almost completely smashed his entire plan.

He really didn't expect that Schicksal's current S-rank Valkyrie would have such a monster. With his 50,000 years of vision, he even believed that even 50,000 years ago, there were very few who could compare with her!

If it weren't for Lin Wei's help, World Serpent would have completely capsized this time—unless Kevin returned now, there would be no way to save it.

So in every sense, he really lost to Lin Wei this time—even if Kevin came back, he couldn't say anything.

Oh, he doesn't speak.

Then—even if Kevin came back, there would be no reason to make a move...

"What, are you trying to say that Jackal's scheming against me was actually her own unauthorized action?"

Lin Wei could see through three points of his thoughts, but he didn't let him off the hook, sneering,

"In that case, it's a personal grudge between me and her. I still have things to do, Mr. Gray Serpent, please excuse me."

With that, Lin Wei raised his hand, pretending to send off the guest.

"If Mr. Lin Wei wanted to kill Jackal, he would have already done it, and wouldn't have waited until now."

Gray Serpent's voice remained the same,

"So, there's no need to pretend."

"Heh, what, can't you get around it?"

Lin Wei smiled contemptuously and said,

"Although I don't really want to kill her, I really don't mind killing her."

Lin Wei's attitude was cold,

"So, if you want to take that woman back from me and let her continue to serve your lord, show me your sincerity."

"Hehe, that's only natural."

Gray Serpent said approvingly, and then took out a small cylindrical syringe, very similar to the one Fu Hua had given Lin Wei, containing a light gray liquid,

"Anti-Honkai serum, a potion once developed by the Previous Era to treat Honkai disease, at the cost of a thousand lives, in exchange for one person having a physique resistant to Honkai energy—the one I have in my hand is the amount for three thousand people—I think Mr. Lin Wei will need this."

"..."

Lin Wei glanced at it, couldn't help but sneer, and said,

"If you had taken it out and handed it to me a year ago, I would have done anything for you. But now... Heh, Mr. Gray Serpent, shouldn't you have sent a slightly healthier individual to negotiate with me?"

Lin Wei mocked tactfully.

"No, Mr. Lin Wei, in fact, you still need it now."

Gray Serpent said unhurriedly,

"The stigmata has given you the capital to survive, but it has also blinded your eyes. Let me repeat this fact—it doesn't belong to you."

"Clang!"

A sound of a sharp blade being unsheathed came from afar.

"...Continue."

Lin Wei didn't take offense, but seemed a little thoughtful, signaling him to continue.

"Even if you have obtained external stigmata, forcibly giving Mr. Lin Wei the freedom to move freely in the Honkai, Mr. Lin Wei's genes themselves still don't have much resistance to Honkai energy. It has to be said that this is a huge weakness of yours. The transplanted Stigmata can enhance Mr. Lin Wei's Honkai energy resistance, but the process is slow and the time is long—however, the Great Eruptions is not far away..."

Gray Serpent said, gesturing with the syringe in his hand,

"And this gift happens to be able to speed up this process and make up for this regret of Mr. Lin Wei's."

"Clap! Clap..."

Lin Wei clapped his hands slowly,

"Mr. Gray Serpent is indeed an excellent businessman. This speech hits the weakness directly, is well-founded, and is exciting."

Lin Wei said approvingly, and then changed the subject and said coldly,

"But in the end, it's just icing on the cake. It's not enough."

"Then what else does Mr. Lin Wei want?"

Gray Serpent asked calmly,

"Tell me, what is your plan? What is your purpose in Manila? Also, why have you repeatedly schemed against me?"

Lin Wei directly asked three questions in a row.

"Of course."

Gray Serpent said calmly,

"My plan is naturally: to welcome back the Lord and defeat the Honkai. This point has never changed in the past, present, or future."

Lin Wei frowned, this answer was too general.

"As for Manila? Hehe, we have no interest in this city. The reason why we are standing here talking now is just a coincidence—if Jackal hadn't lost track of you and happened to detect that the Valkyrie named Yuno had come to this city, otherwise, you and I should be meeting in Singapore at this moment."

"...You mean, you don't have any plans to trigger the Honkai in this city?"

Lin Wei frowned and asked. He had always been worried about this matter and couldn't rest assured.

"Naturally not, snakes don't lie."

Gray Serpent said calmly,

"The Stigmata Project is not yet at the time when it should be activated. Moreover, the specific executor is even in your hands. What Jackal has been working hard for during this period of time, Mr. Lin Wei should know better than me."

"...That makes sense."

Lin Wei was speechless. This guy had been wholeheartedly competing with himself and Otto during this period, how could he have cared about the Stigmata Project?

Moreover, he had thoroughly checked the database and memory of that cyborg, and Jackal had indeed not made any targeted arrangements in Manila.

In that case,

"Then it's really a natural disaster..."

Lin Wei said with some disappointment.

How could humans prevent the arrival of a natural disaster?

"As for Mr. Lin Wei's third question..."

Gray Serpent paused, chuckled, and said,

"The answer in your own heart is the answer at this moment."

He started playing the riddle game again.

"Oh? Aren't you afraid that I'll guess wrong and cause some misunderstanding?"

Lin Wei raised an eyebrow and sneered.

"Whatever the answer is, the snake doesn't mind."

Gray Serpent answered seriously,

"When you have traveled through the wilderness and experienced the world, you will naturally have your own answer—and at that time, the Lord will naturally come in person and ask you: 'Are you a friend or an enemy?'"

Gray Serpent chuckled and said,

"I just hope that at that time, Mr. Lin Wei will not still claim to be a 'lost traveler'."

These were the words Lin Wei had said when they first met.

"..."

Lin Wei pondered, narrowed his eyes and looked at Gray Serpent, repeatedly digesting the information in his words. After a long time, he raised his head slightly and said,

"One potion is not enough, I have another request."

"Oh? Please speak."

"Once or twice is okay, but not three times. For whatever reason, you have already schemed against me twice. I don't want a third time."

Lin Wei said,

"So, if there is a third time, I will consider it as your provocation or even declaration of war against me—so our previous transaction content—'I will not obstruct the Stigmata Project'—will be void. How about it?"

This agreement was one of the few restrictions on Lin Wei. Now that the situation was beginning to change, Lin Wei didn't want this seemingly loose agreement to become a shackle that bound his hands and feet in the future.

"..."

And this time, Gray Serpent finally stopped being calm. He looked Lin Wei up and down, as if he was getting to know this young man again.

"Oh? What, are you planning to set up a new trap for me?"

Lin Wei mocked.

"Mr. Lin Wei misunderstood."

No matter what he was thinking in his heart, Gray Serpent had to respond at this moment,

"In that case, the transaction is established."

"What is the content of the transaction? Repeat it."

Lin Wei didn't intend to give Gray Serpent the opportunity to muddle through and play word games.

"From today onwards, World Serpent will no longer take any action against Mr. Lin Wei. Otherwise, Mr. Lin Wei will abolish the promise of 'not obstructing the Stigmata Project'."

Now, the restriction became two-way. Gray Serpent had never made such a losing deal.

Lin Wei chewed on the wording, and was generally satisfied, so he reached out his hand,

"Give it to me."

From then on, the two sides parted ways—Yae Sakura handed Jackal over to Gray Serpent, and followed Lin Wei to leave first.

......

On a secluded road in the outskirts of Manila, Lin Wei and Yae Sakura were walking leisurely towards the city, like they were taking a walk.

"Lin Wei-kun..."

Yae Sakura followed Lin Wei, watching Lin Wei play with the syringe containing the anti-Honkai serum in his hand, with a thoughtful look on his face, and asked,

"Are you going to use it now?"

For some reason, she even felt a little resistant to this, as if she was no longer important.

If she was no longer important, then where should she go?

Yae Sakura felt a little flustered for a moment.

"No, I have you, that's enough. This icing on the cake is not important."

Lin Wei smiled, casually tossed it to Yae Sakura, and smiled,

"I'm just sighing that it contains the lives of three thousand people—using three thousand people to exchange for me, heh... Gray Serpent really thinks highly of me. You know, even Su only used the amount for one thousand people."

In World Serpent's style, a person's life has a quantifiable value. No one has ever heard of anyone using this expensive potion.

Perhaps, Lin Wei himself was the only one.

Seeing Lin Wei's casualness, Yae Sakura quickly reached out to catch it, lest it fall to the ground and be damaged. She said with a bit of anger,

"Such a precious thing, even if you don't use it immediately, how can you not keep it carefully?"

Unknowingly, the inexplicable resistance in her heart had disappeared without a trace.

"Hehe, Ms. Sakura is right."

Lin Wei smiled slightly.

"...Really, not using it?"

Yae Sakura hesitated for a while, and handed it to Lin Wei.

"With Sakura here, it's really not very important to me. And..."

Lin Wei chuckled, repeated, and then paused, sighing deeply,

"Three thousand people... This price is so heavy, how dare I use it so easily?"

"World Serpent regards human life as a cold number, but all I can see is a high mountain made of corpses?"

Lin Wei said, shaking his head gently, then turned his head, glanced at the light gray liquid gently shaking in Yae Sakura's hand, and said solemnly,

"Keep it safe for now..."

"Maybe in the future, when I meet someone who, like me in the past, is tormented by Honkai disease, I can use this thing to save his life?"

Lin Wei carefully calculated a simple number,

"Three thousand people's worth... can save three people!"

The morning mist gradually dissipated, and a man and a woman walked slowly and firmly forward under the rising sun.