I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

"That depends on how you interpret it."

Hen shrugged and secretly reached out to try and get a piece of candy from Xiwang, but Xiwang nimbly dodged him. Hen couldn't help but sigh and showed a frustrated expression, while Xiwang raised an eyebrow and showed a smug expression - Hen had tried many times in the past but had never been able to get the candy box from Xiwang.

Hmm... It feels a bit childish, but it's just a little game between the two of them, after all... that's how boys play together.

“But if you do this… you will ruin yourself, along with the mission you were supposed to carry out.”

Kosmo said this.

“Ah, yes, you’re right. But I don’t like lying. No one should be burdened with a responsibility to the world without knowing the truth, so I showed them a way out.”

Hen said nonchalantly... although when he revealed the truth, it was that all the members of his team had escaped, leaving only Xiwang, Kosmo, and himself.

"Otherwise what? Kosmo, can you find any other way for us?"

"........."

After learning the true details of the mission, Kosmo naturally couldn't think of any good methods.

"Besides, even if I'm unlucky, there's still hope that someone will be with me. You know, this guy went much worse than me; he didn't even bring anyone from his team."

"No, it's just that the people in my team didn't keep up with me. After all, I should have been in the third batch."

"Oh dear, don't embarrass me! Be careful, or I might get Gretsch to draw on your face. Gretsch loves to draw, let me think... how about drawing a turtle?"

"...It doesn't matter. Besides, if it's just a turtle, you're underestimating Gretchen's drawing skills."

"...Why don't you fall for that?"

"You can try this approach with Dr. Mebius."

"Tsk... Forget it, I don't want to wake up one day to find myself on an operating table, where even Blanca won't be able to save me."

Hen pursed his lips, looking quite helpless.

"........."

Kosmo pursed his lips as he looked at the two people still joking around in front of him.

They were clearly on the path to their deaths, yet they appeared relaxed, even joking and playing around, as if it were child's play, completely disregarding the solemn, tragic, and heroic sacrifice...

Everyone's gone... There's clearly no way such a small group can carry out the mission, and in the end, it will only end in failure. The Herrschers will rampage and kill everyone else. Even if you manage to survive, you'll only be judged by the Flame Moths...

Why are you all still able to relax so much?

"wrong."

The boy said this.

"The mission won't fail like this, and those who left will survive."

His voice was firm and resolute.

"……Right."

Hen paused for a moment, gave the boy an appreciative look, and then spoke again.

"You might be able to do it, but there will always be a day when you can't. If this is your commitment, then please don't forget him... But I still suggest you look at other people's choices today. There's nothing wrong with being a backstabber; at least they can see their families smiling again, right?"

"What about him?"

The boy pointed to Xi Wang, who hadn't said much.

"...This guy is different. He's much better than us, and if something really happens, he'll run faster than any of us."

"really."

"Hey! You have to help me out, at least say something!"

"...Okay, I promise you."

Xi Wang tilted her head, then nodded and agreed.

"Alright, alright, let's go, we should get going... And don't tell Kevin about what I just said. Even though that kid was forced into the role of captain, he's still a young lad like you and can't handle decisions like 'sacrifice.' The Firemoth already has enough trouble, don't add to the problems for those higher up~"

As he spoke, Hen grabbed Xi Wang and started to leave.

"...You're wrong, Hen."

But when the boy spoke again, he seemed to have realized something.

“Those people…they were not cowards, but heroes.”

"However, the moment that will determine who they are is only now coming."

"........."

Xi Wang slightly raised her eyelids, glanced at it casually, and then stopped paying attention. Hen, on the other hand, looked back with some surprise.

At this moment, the footsteps around gradually became clearer. The people who had just scattered and the soldiers who had just fled gathered again. Familiar faces reappeared, and no one was absent.

The boy stood between them, a rare smile on his face, the smugness in it obvious to anyone who wasn't blind—for the first time in his time with the captain and Hen, he had gained the upper hand.

The boy tried to see surprise on Hen's face, or perhaps a hint of astonishment on Xi Wang's face, which remained as calm as a lake... but he was unsuccessful.

Hen was only slightly surprised for a moment before regaining his composure, showing no joy at the return of his companion. Xi Wang, on the other hand, did not show any change in expression, as if he had foreseen it all along.

Then, a message came through the team's communication system that froze the boy's expression.

"...This is Kevin."

Kevin, who was in the first team, or rather, leading the first "suicide squad," said this in the communications.

“We have reached the location of the Fifth Herrscher, and... we have found her body.”

Next came Kevin's brief report and speculations about the scene, but Kosmo was already somewhat dazed. He had obviously guessed why those people had returned... and the answer had a rather big impact on this righteous and morally upright young man.

"So, do you understand?"

Xi Wang, who hadn't said much until now, finally spoke up.

"At this moment, how precious you are, with your passion, your willingness to sacrifice, and your youth."

That's why Hen hopes that you, like everyone else, will leave together, will "escape" together, so that at least children like you can survive, and at least there will be people like you in the future.

Or perhaps we can truly learn from those who retreat, learn to back down and "escape" from certain things, so that at least we can live a little longer... There's nothing shameful about it, nothing to despise, it's just human nature.

"If you still want to persevere, then continue."

Xi Wang opened the candy box again, put a candy in his mouth, and said casually.

"There are very few of those brave people who are willing to sacrifice themselves left."

The rest are either cowards or people who are "not ready."

Therefore, Xi Wang and Hen were not surprised by their companions' escape at first; rather, it was taken for granted. On the contrary, those who stayed behind, like Kosmo, were the odd ones out.

after all……

"The kind of 'hero' you're looking for, the kind you yearn for, has already died on an even earlier battlefield."

Xi Wang calmly stated a fact.

Chapter Nineteen: Hmm, Just Sugar

The extermination of the Fifth Herrscher ended so suddenly, leaving everyone somewhat bewildered, especially considering all the preparations you made, even the Fire Moth was prepared for the complete annihilation of all its teams, all in order to obtain information about the Herrscher so that Alicia could kill it... But all of that can no longer be done.

Moreover, even though the Herrscher was dead, the higher-ups of Mothcha were not happy. On the contrary, they became even more nervous. After all, judging from the traces Kevin found at the scene, the Herrscher was killed in an instant. And this terrifying combat power that could kill a Herrscher instantly was actually outside their control, which made them feel increasingly threatened.

[Thanks to this, many projects that had been abandoned due to their danger have been revived—they need to be able to counter that terrifying power, and the price to pay for it is inevitable and necessary.]

[...Anyway, they're not the ones paying the price.]

[But this leads to another problem—the research team led by Dr. Möbius and Dr. May suddenly gained much more influence, even the ability to sway the narrative, which is undoubtedly something some people don't want to see.]

[Someone needs to conduct those dangerous experiments—but that person can't be themselves; they've developed incredibly powerful weapons—but they must be in their own hands; there can be a leader—but that person must be themselves; sacrifices are acceptable—but the rewards must far outweigh the sacrifices… They held onto this idea throughout, pulling each other apart at the Moth Chaser meetings.]

[And now, on this power table that was already maintaining a delicate balance, several more people have suddenly entered the fray, and because of their importance, it's not convenient to remove them... This has greatly angered some people.]

After much deliberation, they chose to resort to "outside the rules" methods, which led them to contact—the poisonous pupa.

[Since it's inconvenient to just kick you out directly, then surely you can just suddenly die and no one will complain, right? -- What a clean and simple method, it's not like it's the first time I've used it, so it doesn't matter.]

They need a "moth drawn to the flame" that is stable, docile, and perfectly controlled by them; therefore, occasional pruning is necessary.

[After all, only in this way can they better and more focusedly deal with the Honkai, right? — That's what they said.]

[It was at this moment that the blade of the poisonous pupa was, for the first time, clearly pointed at someone at the Fire-Chasing Moth conference table.]

----------

"Sakura? Sakura? Are you thinking about something?"

"Ah... I'm sorry, Alicia."

Sakura snapped out of her daze, took off her headphones, and said with a hint of apology.

"Hehe~ I don't mind at all~ After all, Sakura looks cute when she's spacing out~?"

Alicia sat down next to Sakura, their similar pink hair swaying behind them. Their equally beautiful faces were close to each other, and the two looked like sisters.

"Is he thinking about something? Let me guess... is it Wang? Or... is it me?"

"Alicia..."

"Hmph~ It really was me~"

"No, that wasn't an answer..."

"That's Wang? Ah~ You two really get along well~"

"...Alicia, stop teasing me."

Sakura sighed, not wanting to get too entangled with Alicia on this topic... mainly because she couldn't argue with her.

"Well, Sakura seems quite troubled, so... are you feeling a little better now?"

Alicia said cheerfully.

"……well enough."

"Eh~ Is that so? Sakura must be having some trouble, right? Does she need the cute and charming Alicia to help her out? You know, Alicia is really popular~, you know~?"

"........."

Sakura remained silent, her eyes closed, as if deep in thought.