Eight years after the end of the Great Honkai Eruption—
On a bleak, rainy night, the sky was heavy and oppressive, weighed down by thick, leaden clouds.
A fine rain fell like a woven tapestry, endlessly sprinkling the narrow, winding alleyways. Each drop carried a bone-chilling cold that pierced the veil of night and fell into a broken heart.
On either side of the alley, the mottled walls were slick with rain. Where the plaster had peeled away, faint traces of moss were visible, adding to the cold, desolate atmosphere.
A figure covered in wounds, on the verge of collapse, leaned weakly against the cold, damp wall. Li Mo's clothes were soaked through, clinging to his body and outlining a gaunt, exhausted frame.
Beside him was a pile of moldy, foul-smelling garbage. The stench, washed out by the rain, formed an indescribably pungent odor.
The hands that had once been so formidable, that had resolved countless Bizarre incidents, now hung limply in a murky puddle on the ground. Rainwater and blood mixed together, forming a turbid liquid. Occasionally, a few drops would splash up, only to quickly merge back into the dead silence.
Li Mo's fingers trembled slightly, as if trying to grasp something, but in the end, they could only sink powerlessly into the cold rainwater, much like his current state—ignorant, chaotic, uncertain, lost…
His eyes had recovered the appearance of a complete, living person, with focus and perfectly intact lenses. But they looked dull and lifeless, reflecting only the small puddle before him.
It seemed there was more than just a small puddle; there were many figures reflected in it as well.
The puddle also mirrored his own haggard, dying figure. His face was pale and desolate, his eyes hollow and bewildered, as if they had lost all color and warmth.
A deathly silence enveloped the small alley, broken only by the sound of the rain and the occasional ripple in the puddle, shattering the suffocating tranquility.
Soundless…
Waveless…
Silent…
Dayless, nightless…
Emotionless…
Endless and ceaseless, without beginning or end…
The surrounding darkness seemed poised to swallow the silent Li Mo in the alley, the cold of the rainy night seeping into his very bones.
Like an abandoned doll, he was heading toward collapse, unnoticed by any gaze.
Li Mo didn't know how long he had been here, nor did he receive any feedback.
The changing cold of the seasons, the pain of being gnawed on by cockroaches, rats, and wild dogs, the surprised glances of the occasional passerby…
Did it matter? He didn't know…
What should he do? He didn't know…
Identity, origin, family, friends, common sense… He remembered nothing…
Only an endless confusion lingered in his mind, leaving him unsure of how to act.
No one approached him, and no one tried to wake him.
Li Mo was like a machine that had been unplugged, indifferent to whatever happened before him.
As night fell, the city lights gradually sketched a gentle silhouette.
"Ugh… making games is so hard. If only it were as simple as fighting Honkai Beasts."
"It's three in the morning. Let me think, what's still open to eat at this hour?"
After a long, busy day of work, it was late at night.
Bronya left her company and headed out onto the streets, searching for a restaurant or street stall to fill her stomach.
But it was too late. Plus, most people in the Far East didn't have a habit of late-night outings, so very few eateries were still open.
There might have been some barbecue stalls open at one or two in the morning, but by three, they were all closed for the night.
The wind tonight carried a biting chill, gently brushing against the ends of her hair and making Bronya shiver.
Bronya found it strange. She was a Herrscher, after all. Even though she had lost most of her powers, it didn't mean she should feel the cold so easily.
Her body had been tempered to withstand the cold back when she was a child mercenary in Siberia, let alone after becoming a Herrscher.
She glanced at what she was wearing: a white sweater, a blue jacket over it, and black leggings.
It didn't seem like an outfit that would leave her feeling cold.
"Have I been staying up too late, and my body's gotten weaker? I should pay more attention to that from now on."
"Tonight, I'll just go to the nearest unmanned convenience store and grab some snacks to tide me over. It's too late, and I have work tomorrow."
"At least I don't have to worry about fighting the Honkai anymore. That's nice."
Bronya gave a small smile.
After the end of the Great Honkai Eruption, 99% of the Honkai Energy had been sealed on the moon. The Schicksal Overseer, Otto Apocalypse, was dead. Anti-Entropy and Schicksal had merged, and the Headmaster, Theresa Apocalypse, had inherited the title of Schicksal Overseer.
The Anti-Entropy Sovereign, Welt Yang, who had lost most of his Herrscher powers, had retired and joined E.T. Studio, an animation company once owned by Anti-Entropy, as a producer and key animator.
As the former Herrscher of Reason, Bronya herself had also chosen to step down from her duties at Schicksal. Fueled by her love for games, she joined E.T. Studio and fulfilled her dream of becoming the lead producer of Reason Studios, a video game development team under E.T. Studio. She developed E.T. Studio's first video game, A Post-Honkai Odyssey.
In fact, she was the secret boss behind the scenes, but she felt it was a bit inappropriate to work alongside people as their boss, so she hid her true identity.
Additionally, she was a somewhat famous motorcycle racer.
Life had become more complicated and tiring, but chasing a dream always required sweat and effort.
As she passed through a usually deserted alley, Bronya's gaze was caught by an unusual sight—under the dim yellow streetlight, a figure in ragged clothes, covered in wounds, flickered in and out of view.
Although Otto was detestable, during his time as Overseer, he had indeed benefited many civilians.
At the very least, there were very few homeless people. Those who were truly willing to work hard could live a decent life.
Bronya stopped and walked over, placing her fingers under Li Mo's nose.
She felt an extremely faint breath.
"Hey? Can you hear me?"
Bronya waved her hand in front of Li Mo's eyes but got no response.
She called out loudly in his ear, but still, there was no answer.
"He's alive, and his eyes are open. Why is there no reaction? What's he doing in a place like this? Is he homeless?"
Bronya was puzzled. She lightly tapped a hidden device near her temple.
"0019, analyze his condition."
A pair of deep blue, transparent glasses with a high-tech feel automatically extended to cover her eyes.
Subject Detected: Human.
Status: Suspected excessive blood loss, bacterial infection, viral infection, tissue necrosis, immunosuppression, osteomyelitis, clouded consciousness, physical exhaustion, poisoning, starvation, temporary blindness…
No matching personal data found in the Far East database. Suspected illegal immigrant from Shenzhou.
The corner of Bronya's mouth twitched. This was the first time she had seen someone with so many negative statuses that 0019 had to list three full lines.
"If I leave him, he'll probably die soon. Should I take him to the hospital? I'm not his family, so I can't sign the surgical consent form. Besides, the hospital would probably have a hard time dealing with all these negative statuses."
"I really don't know how you've managed to survive this long."
Bronya bent down, hoisted Li Mo onto her back, and started walking toward her apartment next to the company.
"Count yourself lucky you ran into me. A doctor might be helpless, and solving this would require a huge amount of resources, but I can borrow the Abyss Flower."
"Though… you probably don't know what the Abyss Flower is. Anyway, it's something that can save you."
Li Mo wasn't heavy. Bronya didn't even feel like she was carrying a person on her back.
He was too light, not like a normal person.
Malnourished, I guess…
Bronya felt a wave of sentimentality. Over a decade ago, when she was a mercenary in Siberia, she had been just as malnourished.
Thinking back, she was truly lucky. In the unpredictable tides of war, she not only survived but also made friends, became the Herrscher of Reason, and protected the Earth by eliminating the Honkai.
Even now, looking back, it still felt incredible, almost magical.
Perhaps, at this very moment, she was repaying the kind mercenary uncle who had taken her in and taught her how to navigate the world.
The apartment wasn't far from the company. Bronya soon brought Li Mo home. Through the large window, she could see a mountain peak in the distance.
Bronya took off Li Mo's clothes and was shocked by the horrifying wounds on his body. There wasn't a single patch of intact skin. It was either scars or bleeding wounds, both large and small.
She touched his body; it had almost lost all normal human warmth.
Bronya looked at the dying Li Mo, sighed, and said, "I really don't know how you've lived this long. With injuries like these, even a Herrscher would have trouble staying alive."
"I'll do some simple disinfection and bandaging for you. Don't worry, what a hospital can do, 0019, 19C, and I can do too. I don't know what's keeping you going, but since you've held on, just keep holding on for whatever that unknown reason is."
"I'll be back soon to heal you."
With that, Bronya grabbed her car keys, put on her helmet, and started racing down the empty highway.
While driving, she made a video call to Theresa.
Theresa was working overtime late into the night. After a bit of teasing, Theresa arranged for someone to deliver the Abyss Flower to a designated location, and Bronya sped toward it.
By the time she returned, the sun was already up.
At eight in the morning, Bronya took the Abyss Flower and began to deconstruct it.
Although most of her Herrscher of Reason authority had been reclaimed, she still retained a small portion. Normally, Bronya wouldn't use it, and there was no place to use it.
But saving a life was more important.
"Analysis complete. Are you still alive?"
Bronya glanced at Li Mo. His posture and expression were exactly the same as when she had brought him home last night, without the slightest change.
His eyes were still open, yet they hadn't moved at all.
"Construct, Key of Creation: Abyss Flower."
Bronya pushed all of her Herrscher of Reason authority, barely managing to construct the Abyss Flower.
Very few people in the entire world could use the genuine Abyss Flower, but the one Bronya constructed herself didn't have as many restrictions.
She jabbed the lance into Li Mo's chest. A blue and white light swirled around it, eventually merging into his body, repairing the illnesses and wounds within.
"Phew… Looks like there are no major problems now. Hmmm…"
Bronya glanced at the unconscious Li Mo, shook her head, set a two-hour alarm, and then went back to her bedroom.
It was almost time for work, but compared to going to work after an all-nighter, even a short nap was better than nothing.
Work started at 10:30. She could wake up at 10, quickly get ready, and since the company was right next door, the commute wouldn't take long.
Two hours later—
Bronya subconsciously turned off her phone alarm.
Eight hours later—
Bronya jolted awake from her dream. She checked her phone—four in the afternoon…
Great, I'm going to get chewed out by the boss today. Wait, I am the boss.
"I wonder if that guy is okay. He's not making a sound. Is he still unconscious?" Bronya rubbed her temples, put on her work clothes, and walked out of the bedroom.
"Hey? Are you feeling better?"
Just like yesterday, Bronya waved her hand in front of Li Mo's open eyes. His eyeballs didn't track the movement at all.
"Can people sleep with their eyes open? What a strange person… Logically, after being treated by the Holy Lance's centennial orchid and being unconscious for so long, he should be awake by now."
Bronya was in a bit of a bind. The mental state of the boy she had picked up from the alley last night was beyond her comprehension. No matter how much she called out to him, she couldn't wake his consciousness. Did she really have to take him to the hospital for a check-up?
"One last try. If this doesn't work, I'll take him to the hospital."
Bronya let out a long sigh and asked perfunctorily, "Why were you there? What's your name?"
As the word "name" fell, Li Mo's eyelids suddenly twitched. Then, his gaze gradually focused.
Li Mo subconsciously answered, "My name is… Li Mo."
As the words left his mouth, Li Mo's consciousness instantly cleared. Countless memory fragments floated past like dream bubbles.
He knew they were important and tried desperately to remember them, but he found he couldn't hold onto anything, couldn't see anything clearly.
Only an endless sorrow and resentment lingered in his heart, refusing to dissipate.
"You're a strange person. Did I trigger some kind of keyword? You feel like a robot. Just kidding, I know you're human. But can you explain why you were… abandoned in an alley?"
"Abandoned… alley… Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. I…"
Li Mo clutched his forehead, a pained expression on his face.
"I can't remember. I've forgotten a lot… things I absolutely can't forget. I have to remember. Help me!"
Li Mo suddenly stood up and grabbed Bronya's hand, his gaze sincere and intense.
"Alright, alright. Since I saved you, I won't just leave you be. Even though we've just met, I'm a good person. Don't worry, I'm very mysterious. I have ways to help you recover your memory."
Bronya gave a confident smile and patted Li Mo's shoulder, signaling him not to worry.
Whether Li Mo was faking it or truly had amnesia, nothing could be hidden from Fenghuang Down. Besides, she also knew a Herrscher who controlled consciousness.