Collapse, survive

But she didn't say it directly, still hoping that Fang Jie would save Xi'er.

"You're the idiot, you idiot Bronya, go eat your kids' meal!"

Kiana was furious and started bickering with her as usual, then snuggled up to Mei and said with concern, "Eat up, everyone eat up, Mei, try this, it tastes amazing!"

Raiden Mei forced a smile.

Her cooking skills... are alright.

Since taking in Kiana, his cooking skills have improved day by day, but he still needs to hone them. After all, she was a true young lady before, so why would she bother studying cooking? Studying swordsmanship would have been enough for her.

After all, sooner or later, she will have to duel with the Houmu Sword Saint.

Bronya ate calmly, even though Fang Jie had already told her to wait a little longer. He only knew how to enter and exit the Sea of ​​Quanta, not how to accurately locate people.

It's not even close to being a needle in a haystack. Fang Jie is afraid that if he accidentally goes too far and ventures too deep into the quantum sea, he might encounter a 'captain' or a 'ferryman'.

Honkai Impact 3's universe is a bottomless pit. The solar system of the intrinsic world is like a 'singularity', connected to the Imaginary Tree. Civilizations repeatedly cycle here, projecting all kinds of world bubbles, which float in the quantum sea outside the intrinsic world. These are countless world bubbles that have broken away from the Imaginary Tree, compressed or even collapsed within the galaxy. At first glance, it is just a huge solar system, but in reality, it is filled with all kinds of demons and monsters.

Therefore, Uncle Yang is destined to go bald.

Meanwhile, Raiden Mei took a deep breath, opened her mouth as if to ask a question, but didn't know how to begin.

Her life changed on November 16th of last year when her father, Lei Dianlongma, was arrested by the police for fraudulently raising $34 billion under false pretenses.

She went from being the young lady of ME, a major heavy industry company in the Far East, to the daughter of a fraudster, and was bullied by her classmates.

She didn't know the specifics of the case, and it no longer mattered. Having experienced the Great Collapse, it could be said that she... killed Changkong City, and none of that mattered anymore.

I am the Herrscher, the Herrscher of Thunder, the one who will destroy the world.

Just as she was thinking this, carrying such sins and intending to continue living with Kiana's support, and beginning her Valkyrie life, another series of unexpected events came one after another.

That was an even more tragic past, where she was rescued by Kiana as the Herrscher of Thunder, and together they relied on each other to escape Changkong City in a 'dream'.

It even... almost caused Kiana's death.

Loneliness, fear, doubt...

"If you don't feel like eating, how about some milk tea, real milk tea?"

Fang Jie had tried the special dishes of March 7th, but could only say they weren't as good as the milk tea she recommended. At this moment, she was cooperating with Kiana to give Raiden Mei some sweets to help her relax, as she looked very unnatural.

"Thank you, thank you."

Raiden Mei took it with a blank expression: "Um, may I ask a question? It might be a bit abrupt..."

Fang Jie sat opposite Kiana, after all, she insisted on sitting next to Mei, almost to the point of sleeping in her arms, very perceptive Kiana.

"I don't know exactly what you want to ask me, but what I can tell you is to relax, things will get better in the future."

Will the future be better?

Raiden Mei stared into his eyes. Unlike the pitch black they had been at the beginning, they were now clear, square pupils with a golden, blood-red halo—normal eyes.

Raiden Mei, holding a milk tea, watched Kiana eat and drink heartily, enlivening the atmosphere, while she... through Fang Jie's eyes, saw herself.

It's beautiful, but also lonely and painful.

"If the future will be better, why are you afraid of me?"

Her tone was low and somber.

Raiden Mei is a beauty, so beautiful that she meets Kiana's aesthetic standards. Her long, silky purple hair is incredibly smooth, and her skin is as fair and delicate as hers. Her appearance is elegant and noble with a Far Eastern flair. Needless to say, her figure is perfect, and her love for wearing thongs means she's perfectly suited to Kiana's best spot.

Despite her beauty, Fang Jie had a different opinion of her from the very beginning.

A sensitive girl can easily sense that kind of special treatment.

Fang Jie wasn't afraid of Himeko, who was arrogant and overbearing; nor was he afraid of Kiana, who at most gave him some leeway because she was still a minor, but he didn't hesitate to take advantage of her. As for Bronya, he didn't care whether she was a minor or not, he would refine her and suppress her in an instant!

Only Raiden Mei, Fang Jie made no attempt to hide his... well, it wasn't so much fear as a feeling of awe.

"Hey, this isn't directed at you, it's just that you remind me of someone I know, someone who is, well, very strong, stronger than anyone else."

Fang Jie understood that Raiden Mei was very sensitive, and not just her, which is why he treated everyone with sincerity.

"Don't disbelieve me, this isn't an excuse, there really is such a person. The galaxy is vast, there are always similar people and similar events. Let me show you another adult Bronya, look—"

Fang Jie shows the Land Duck in a serious working manner. Although it is young, it has the demeanor of a great guardian and is extremely beautiful. Unfortunately, it has always suffered from Fang Jie's petty jealousy.

Bronya's eyes lit up instantly. How big she was! So full and shapely! She was very satisfied. Then there was her innocent, pretty face—a chubby face clearly belonging to the duck clan, as delicate as the first snow. And those black stockings! They reflected light, reflected light so much! When I grow up, I definitely want to wear black stockings too…

However, their eyes are slightly different.

“Look, this is also my friend, Bronya Rand. I’ve seen many similar people and similar things, so when I look at you, I sometimes have preconceived notions and inevitably think of them. I had some grudges with her at the beginning.”

Bronya's eyes immediately dimmed.

So that's how it is... So it was this Rand duck that offended you and dragged me, the Spanish duck, into it?

She seemed thoughtful, then indignant—"Rand Duck, how could you be so mean?"

Raiden Mei couldn't care less about anything else. She was suspicious of whether it was true or not. Looking at Fang Jie's expression, it didn't seem fake, so... that's how it is?

I felt somewhat relieved, yet also somewhat confused.

"Then, can I see another version of myself?"

She asked.

"No."

Fang Jie resolutely refused.

“You two are already very similar. If any form of connection, even symbolic one, develops between you, I don’t want you to meet in my dreams, and then…”

Even when Raiden Mei gets her comeuppance, she's still cute, so please don't let her evolve into that form.

If that tragedy were to happen again, Huang Quan would kill himself.

Fang Jie held Huang Quan in high esteem, even revering her. Considering that he was now a Blood Sin Spirit, he was still hesitant to meet her. How could he not have some doubts?

Raiden Mei's face terrified him.

"It sounds like that Mei is very strong?"

Himeko was giving away a lot of "fan service" in front of the minor, but she didn't do anything inappropriate. At this moment, she was also taking the initiative to comfort Raiden Mei, who is a Herrscher!

But the direction of the solution...

Fang Jie slapped his thigh: "Don't call her that. If you have to call her Huang Quan, you can call her that."

"Not even a name?"

Ji Zi was in a lot of pain from Fang Jie's slap; the force of the blow showed his determination. She couldn't help but be surprised, "Even you have moments of fear."

"No."

Fang Jie spoke resolutely, staring at Raiden Mei, not regarding her as Huang Quan, but she undoubtedly also had that possibility—in the galaxy, having possibility is inevitability.

"Miss Mei, I'll call you that more affectionately from now on. Let's start being friends again. I won't look at you with strange eyes anymore, and I hope you understand."

Fang Jie offered a perfunctory apology, but didn't feel sorry.

"You may feel very sad, upset, scared, and doubtful of everything, to the point that my attitude bothers you, but please believe that I have no ill intentions towards you. All of this is already wonderful enough. You are still young, you have a future, you have companions and everyone, especially this foodie."

"what?"

Kiana, suddenly annoyed by the pointing and whispering, snatched the food from Fang Jie's plate and started eating...

That's right, it's this foodie.

Even in a thousand similar worlds, there might not be a single Kiana. Fang Jie cherishes her and decided to propose to her early on.

"Please believe me, I don't want to see you become—when you have almost nothing, truly nothing... I'm sorry, we'll leave this story alone. Even though it's nighttime now, and we've prepared candlelight, fragrance, and a soft couch to create a comfortable dreamland, we still can't tell you these things as a little bedtime story..."

Fang Jie was unusually serious as he gazed at Raiden Mei, observing her bewilderment and confusion. Unable to comfort her, he could only try to show that he had no problem with her.

"Let's talk about her home planet, a beautiful planet called Izumo, as beautiful as Takamagahara, as beautiful as her."

Raiden Mei and Himeko were both stunned by the alien trivia Fang Jie shared. Those planets sounded... quite Earth-like, huh?

"Are there really planets with that kind of name?"

Kiana, gnawing on a large piece of meat, expressed her doubt.

Fang Jie ignored her and continued his story: "They were two planets whose tragic fates were intertwined, dancing an eternal waltz around a dark sun."

Initially, one of the planets gave birth to humankind. They bowed their heads and called the land beneath their feet "Izumo"; then they looked up and called the world in the sky "Takamagahara".

On an unrecorded day, eight million gods descended from Takamagahara. Ferocious beasts bearing the names of gods caused the heavens to collapse, the seas to burn, and the earth to crumble—people realized with horror that this was not an invasion for the purpose of domination, control, or plunder; the evil gods came for no reason, solely to kill.

At a time of crisis, Izumo embarked on the path of "Divine Harvest," using the entire nation's resources to slay the monstrous "Tōmō-giri," forging its beastly form into the first "Imperial Blades." From then on, the blade was used against the beast; by chanting the incantations contained within its blade, the wielder could grasp the divine power of Takamagahara, using it to fight against evil gods and save the world. Thus began Izumo's long conquest, with countless sacrifices resulting in the fall of one god after another, breaking countless swords in the mortal realm, ultimately forging the twelve "Imperial Blades of Protection."

In the brutal war for survival, the Izumo Kingdom used the power of the imperial sword to illuminate the uncivilized dark world and establish a city-state with dazzling rainbows. The once unattainable High Heaven God Kingdom was now within reach and easily attainable. But history came to an abrupt end at this moment, and the existence of the two planets vanished in an instant, disappearing without a trace.

Today, the past of Bianxing [Izumo] can only be gleaned from fragments of information about the Milky Way, and scholars offer various interpretations. But the truth I want to tell you is—it was severed by a single stroke.

"One strike... to sever it?"

Himeko and Bronya were listening attentively, understanding that Fang Jie wouldn't speak without reason, and thus felt a strange sense of absurdity. Are you serious?

Raiden Mei was also listening to this story, and she found it even more absurd.

Instead of talking about 'her,' they brought up her hometown. It's truly baffling who was responsible for this tragedy.

It could be described as euphemistic, but not entirely so.

So that's why you're afraid of me?

Fear me, no, fear her power?

"In short, that's how it is. The history of Izumo should have been a flowing river, but now it has been severed with a single stroke. All the past and future have vanished into the empty other side. Humans, gods, swords, demons... all are nowhere to be found."

"why?"

Kiana felt it was all over the place. The story had sounded quite familiar, with things like alien invasion, then a common enemy and friendly forces fighting back, and finally, victory was on the horizon... and then it just abruptly ended.

This doesn't make sense! If this were a plot from a novel, it would be a flop!

And how do you cut off the stars, especially two stars orbiting the sun? Wait, you said it's one cut, right?

Kiana had a vague but concrete impression of strength, and her worldview was being challenged.

"Because everything that happens will eventually come to an end, and everything that has ended will inevitably happen again, this is the eternal recurrence of the galaxy."

Fang Jie spoke candidly to them and to everyone about the galactic truths that were no less profound than philosophical principles.

Kiana brandished a pork knuckle, demanding he speak human language, and forbidding him from using riddles.

"I'll beat you up, now explain yourself."

"I'm not going to talk about it anymore. It's too early. Those things are too early for you right now."

Fang Jie took a bite of the delicious food that she offered him, chewed it up in a few bites and swallowed it, then stopped talking about it.

As for the mere white fluffy ball's entanglement, I'll lick you again.

Kiana was defeated.

He returned victorious and looked at Raiden Mei, his tone gentle: "In short, Miss Mei, don't be afraid. You are not alone now, and there will be a better tomorrow. I firmly believe that."

"Then, thank you."

Raiden Mei didn't know how to answer him, so she just kept smiling.

This story is indeed incomplete, neither a bedtime story nor a horror story. It simply recounts a past event, a true story that seems to contain something, yet remains elusive, because the author is unwilling to explain it too thoroughly.

It wasn't the answer she wanted, but it was alright.

Fang Jie sincerely wished her well, making Raiden Mei feel that none of that mattered anymore; she didn't need much now.

We should try these dishes; Kiana almost ate them all. Are they really that delicious?

Ji Zi remained silent, neither eating nor drinking, and quietly picked up her... milk tea. Fang Jie wouldn't give her any alcohol.

a long time.

"call."

She downed the drink in one gulp, calming her rapidly rising heart rate, and turned to look at Fang Jie, who was fighting with Kiana for food: "Hey, I said..."

"What should you call me? Hmm?"

Fang Jie replied with great authority, "What are you thinking about? You're probably overthinking it."

So I've said enough tonight. I don't want to get entangled with this overly clever, good-and-bad woman, lest she overthink things.