Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

The posture of a lawyer.

what……

Has it really come to this extent?

Raiden Mei's pupils are a purple color that is not common among Asians, or even normal people. Moreover, unlike ordinary purple pupils, the boy could see a strange, shimmering, purple light in those eyes. Those thin, thread-like fragments of light swept down from the girl's eyes, leaving branch-like traces, and then disappeared in an instant.

Jiang Cheng was merely gazing at the girl so close to him, yet he inexplicably felt as if he were a tiny tourist in the vast world, looking up at the impending storm in the boundless mountains and fields. Dark clouds loomed over the city, and deep purple lightning snaked its way through the clouds like serpents.

Those lights were just like thunder...

No.

That's Thunder.

Raiden Mei's thunder.

The thunder of the Herrscher of Thunder.

……

……

When exactly was this gift purchased?

Since it's called a souvenir, it's obviously something from this street, but Raiden Mei seems to only have time for desserts...

what……

So that’s it…

No wonder that person/pig who was calling out "Mei" was wearing something like the shopkeeper's clothes.

No wonder Raiden Mei's mood suddenly turned so bad.

Were you blackmailed?

As expected, that person/pig died without any injustice. I should have known better than tormented him, even if it meant missing out on food for at least a day.

So……

Should we refuse?

……

190. How could I possibly refuse Mei?

After piecing everything together, the seemingly chaotic journey suddenly becomes a coherent one, a complete, fulfilling, and almost regret-free day trip/date.

It was called a journey, but in reality, only I, the fool, treated it as a journey. In fact, both the process and the final result were undoubtedly designed according to the format of a date for two people.

It's only now that I've realized this, which suggests that my already low emotional intelligence may have been further amplified by my lack of knowledge.

Perhaps it can be interpreted as the girl not wanting to be cuckolded?

Who would include tips on how to woo someone of the opposite sex in something they leave for their partner?

It doesn't matter anymore.

We are no longer so foolish and ignorantly blind.

Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down by letting the air circulate in his lungs—although it was just a forced, pretentious act, and he couldn't actually suppress even the slightest bit of his emotions.

The doubts that had lingered in my mind, and even the dissatisfaction I felt in some ways with my inability to resolve Mei's situation, all vanished with the truth.

It was all resolved long ago, and revenge was taken long ago. The bastard who dared to extort and harm Mei has died in the most painful way.

Even if Mei herself didn't know, that person's death was already a stark reality. In a sense, not having witnessed it firsthand meant that she could simply gloss over it with the phrase "he's already killed," instead of being unable to eat meat for ten days or half a month after seeing that gruesome scene.

So the next step is to make a decision.

—It's a matter of whether to accept it or not.

—Regarding this gift given with heartfelt sentiment.

what……

what……

Do you want to accept it?

Regarding the gift given by Raiden Mei.

A gift that is exquisitely wrapped in purple silk.

This gift, purchased near a dessert shop—a shop that even provides double seating, with seats adjusted so that you have to face each other to properly enjoy the dessert, and where using a spoon requires staring directly into your eyes—is clearly not a gift from a normal friend.

If I accept it, even if it can't compare to accepting Wilvi's invitation to the birthday party in the simulation, it will definitely solidify our relationship at the pinnacle of friendship—the level of absolute best friends.

There is no risk of her running away anymore, because there is no possibility of her running away at all. Even if Kiana arrives later and forcefully shatters all bullying and darkness, the existence of Jiang Cheng will inevitably occupy a part of the girl's heart.

Having secured the top spot and free from the societal barriers of gender prejudice, a girl with a selfless nature would surely give her all in love.

That is a kind of selfless tolerance that can be almost absolutely tolerated as long as one does not abandon, harm, or betray, and would even be accepted by a good-for-nothing.

No matter what, I will catch up; no matter what, I must keep up. Even if I fall into darkness, even if I fall into despair and shadow once again, I will still try to create a space for light for my loved ones.

Because they were saved, they offered their love, and because of this love, they were able to give selflessly, along with the one who was saved.

Raiden Mei is like that; once she sets her mind on someone, she will never let go, and she will repay even the slightest kindness she receives a thousandfold.

Because of a rescue on the rooftop, a three-year friendship was born, which transformed into a dazzling lightning bolt and disappeared into the shadows, eventually reaching the place of origin—because, in the end, that Kiana still hasn't appeared.

The one who truly stood before Raiden Mei was herself, even if she wasn't completely saved like the lifeguard who should have been there.

Even such a tiny ray of light was enough to make the girl reach out, yearning, hoping, and grasping at a straw in the darkness.

After so despicably taking someone else's love, how could anyone be so disgusting as to choose to ignore that feeling and leave?

……

Gazing at the wet, soft girl, whose lips were clearly being bitten, her eyes filled with fear and unease, she met his gaze firmly, displaying an unwavering self—at least in this matter.

White teeth, rosy lips... the result of gently pressing the soft flesh is to fully reveal the determination hidden beneath the weakness.

Perhaps the inner turmoil and unease had reached a consensus at some point. Mei was not as self-conscious as another girl who had chosen to do so before, nor did she share the same fear of not even being able to look at the boy in front of her.

Because the most fundamental reason that leads two people to do almost the same thing—giving themselves gifts—is completely different.

It wasn't because of Alicia.

It wasn't because the boy was being ignored by others.

It wasn't due to external factors that prevented Jiangcheng from being manipulated further, but rather a genuine, heartfelt unwillingness to endure it any longer.

If Wilvie can maintain a close friendship forever without interference, Raiden Mei is the type of person who absolutely cannot accept it.

Unchanging feelings, friendships sustained only by the smallest exchanges, and the smug satisfaction of finding joy in meager, fleeting moments of sunshine—these are things Raiden Mei would never agree with.

Although they may seem to be the same type of girl, if the former has about 90% low self-esteem, then the latter may only have about 50%.

Self-denial is not the entirety of life. With proper guidance, one can live like an ordinary person and appear healthy.

Even if she seems to have no confidence in her own abilities, if one day she really needs to use her power, then it doesn't matter if she transforms into darkness and enters into sin. As long as she realizes that she has the ability, as long as she realizes that she can change something by doing her best, the girl will never fall into a state of self-denial because of dissatisfaction with herself.

Even now, in a situation where I can't find a single good point about myself, except for my appearance.

The girl named Raiden Mei had never given up hope. Her crimson eyes stared at the boy without hesitation or evasion.

Even as I awaited the moment to reveal my true feelings, unease never took over or completely overwhelmed hope; it merely lingered and struggled within my heart.

Yes.

This is indeed walking a tightrope.

Even if you might fall at any moment, it's still much better than hanging desperately on the edge of a cliff, endlessly pacing and filled with fear, knowing you might fall in the next second or it might take a while.

Compared to a clean and swift cut, the reason why slow slicing is listed as a form of torture is because the mental torment is far above death. At least the former only requires opening and closing one's eyes to find peace, while the latter, with its thousands of cuts and pieces of flesh being ripped out, makes one regret every day of living, wishing they could die sooner.

The final outcome is still uncertain. Before a definitive conclusion is reached, who can definitively give a correct answer?

Jiang Cheng must have never been in a relationship. In a place like China, students at most only manage to squeeze out a little time for Platonic love in their limited time.

……

The emotions were almost palpable to the naked eye; even in silence, there was no sign of discouragement. She simply waited quietly for the final outcome. Even if she chose to refuse, the girl probably wouldn't scream and break down; she would simply retreat into the shadows and choose self-destruction. How could such sincere feelings be trampled on?!

and so……

impossible.

Can't do it.

Perhaps some people can, perhaps those who are truly capable of great things can completely accept trampling on the feelings and love of others without mercy, treating each individual and everything that is sincere and precious as garbage.

But at least Jiang Cheng at this moment is absolutely, absolutely, even if he died on the spot, even if he faced a life-or-death choice, he would never be able to do this.

Because the biggest characteristic of ordinary people is indecisiveness, they cannot eradicate their emotions like true heroes and tyrants who can accomplish great things. They can easily take advantage of others' kindness and trample on their feelings.

Jiang Cheng is an undeniably ordinary person, the kind of person Tang Ruo would have lived like a weed if she hadn't transmigrated and hadn't had the system.

She doesn't possess the same innate talent as Raiden Mei; she can't compare to her in terms of appearance, ability, or family background.

Having never been educated about intrigue and scheming, even though life everywhere encourages wrongdoing, what they initially encountered at school were words of wisdom and guidance from virtuous people and moral exemplars.

I cannot easily discard the kindness of others, nor can I regard those who genuinely help me as playthings or trash. I cannot easily use others as stepping stones or stepping stones, ruthlessly stepping on them and then kicking them away.

Those who can become Lawbringers, at least at this point, are never people who are devoid of emotion, resolute, and unyielding.

If that's the case, then they probably can't even meet the minimum requirement of becoming a Herrscher—to trigger the Great Collapse with extreme emotions/love and hate.

Given Raiden Mei's resolve, even if she wanted to leave, even if she could harden her heart and escape, she would inevitably face an ending known as the Elegy of a Sinner.

Even if her hands are broken, her feet will be taken back, chained up, and not allowed to move an inch. She will be locked in the basement and will not be allowed to leave. The person named Raiden Mei has the potential to transform into the most extreme yandere.

Perhaps they never intended to remain detached from the plot, but if they did, they would lose even the right to remain detached, and all the disasters, the schemes, and everything they did would fall on them.

Including Otto, who was so despicable and shameless that he had no bottom line and could easily abandon Theresa and use her as a tool for his goals.

Even someone as powerful as the First Herrscher, with the support of 300,000 people, possesses an extraordinary level of power, capable of directly wielding the authority of a simulated Divine Key.

Having just been severely injured in battle, she miraculously learned the ultimate technique of the Herrscher of Death, and without first copying the Black Abyss White Flower, she directly repaired herself, recovering completely in an instant.