Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

Actually, Sakura wasn't telling the truth here. It's quite easy to understand what Mei was thinking.

The moths that chase fire also lack experimental volunteers, that is, test subjects for human experiments.

While it's unlikely that May would directly and forcibly recruit volunteers given her nature, the possibility that the helpless children and nuns would be willing to take on some experimental risks for the sake of profit if she controlled the monastery is not low.

But this idea is indeed somewhat despicable, and I imagine Mei wouldn't feel good about it either.

But now, the Fire Moth is desperately short of test subjects. Before Mei took over the Fire Moth, there was far too much filth involved.

Compared to previous practices, Mei is practically a reincarnation of Guanyin.

However, these thoughts and inside information must never be told to these newcomers. They will naturally discover these dark secrets when they have the ability and status to do so.

As for which side to choose, that's up to them.

"..."

Padofilis remained silent throughout, secretly observing Sakura's expression, and probably realized that this was not a good task.

…………

"Hello, I am Sakura from the Moth of Fire. Please assist me with my investigation. Although I don't want to say it, you have no right to refuse or resist."

Half an hour later, Sakura, along with the three newcomers, stood before a group of nuns and priests.

“I understand, Miss Sakura, please come with me.”

The leading nun nodded slightly. She looked to be over fifty years old and had a dignified air about her; she was probably the most respected of the nuns.

"it is good."

Sakura didn't bother with pleasantries and followed after them with Patofilis and the others.

"The dean died two nights ago; he was found in the stable..."

The old nun looked at the young Patelphius and his companions, hesitated for a moment, and then said...

"His stomach was stabbed open, and his intestines were spilling out. It must have been done by someone who hated him to the core."

"……Well."

As expected, Jona's face turned pale upon hearing this, while Vera and Padofilis merely frowned.

"...Is there anyone suspicious? Or rather, who has this motive?"

Sakura asked.

"There are far too many people with this motive..."

The old nun said with a wry smile.

“The people who came to investigate before have already done so, so you should know that many nuns and priests in this monastery might want to kill him… Many of us would rather starve to death than sell the children we watched grow up…”

"But you tacitly approved of this."

Although Jona and Vi showed a hint of sympathy, Sakura's expression remained unchanged.

"Don't think you're innocent, and there's no need to whitewash your actions."

"I'm sorry, you're right, Miss Sakura."

The old nun sighed.

"None of us are innocent, except probably the murderer."

"It sounds ironic that the perpetrators are the ones with the best conscience."

Vera couldn't help but say.

"It seems that person really loves children, right?"

Padofilis scratched his head.

"Who will be the next child to be sent away? Maybe the murderer is someone she knows."

"That's right."

Sakura nodded approvingly. Padofilis's performance this time was quite composed, as expected of someone who grew up in Twilight Street.

Padofilis had seen far too many murders and sentimental sympathies on Twilight Street. Although she understood them, she found it difficult to feel anything for them anymore.

"It should be... Casey."

The old nun hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"The nuns closest to her are Rosalie, Patra... and Agnes."

"Then please have these three come here to see us."

Several people are now at the scene of the crime, where bloodstains are clearly visible in the stable.

"understood."

The old nun nodded, and as she left, she glanced at Padofilis, her thoughts unknown.

.........

“I’m Rosalie, and I’m in charge of teaching this group of children the doctrine. Casey is very talented in this area, so we get along very well.”

Rosalie was a nun in her thirties with freckles on her face and an unremarkable appearance.

“Patra… I usually cook for them, and once Cass caught a mouse in the kitchen for me. Ever since then, I’ve often secretly cooked for her, so we’re quite close.”

Patra was an obese woman in her forties.

"Agnes is in charge of taking care of their daily lives."

Agnes, whose right eye was covered by silver hair, spoke softly.

Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Second Murder Case

"Miss Agnes, is that right? What happened to your right eye?"

Sakura sensed something different about the young nun during her final self-introduction, and she asked a question.

"Blind."

Agnes said coldly, brushing aside the hair covering her right eye, revealing a clear knife wound.

"This is... a knife wound?"

Sakura paused for a moment, then asked.

"Yes... my father died in the infamous serial murder case in the Parra district."

Agnes said expressionlessly.

"...Is that the murder case that spanned ten years?"

Jona seemed to have heard of it, and her expression changed.

"Jona, do you know her? Tell me about it."

Sakura turned to Jona and asked.

"Well... it's said that a soldier accidentally killed civilians when he was young, which led to the relatives of those two civilians seeking revenge on that soldier when they grew up."

He continued his pursuit even after killing his wife, eventually murdering the pastor ten years later. Although there was sufficient evidence to prove the man was responsible, his body was never found at the scene.

Jona thought for a moment, recounted the events, and then looked at Agnes in surprise.

"You, you're the only surviving daughter?"

"Yes, that's me."

Agnes nodded, and then said.

"..."

Sakura looked at her suspiciously, and was about to speak when the old nun burst in, panting.

"No, something terrible has happened! Kay, Kay is dead!"

"what?"

Sakura suddenly turned around and looked at the old nun.

Katie is dead? How could she possibly be dead?

She and the three people at the scene should be the most likely suspects.

"How could this be? Cass, Cass is dead? No way, it can't be!"

Rosalie stood up abruptly, her face pale.

"Could it be...could it be a serial killing? How could this be...how could this happen..."

Patra sat dejectedly in the chair.

"..."

Sakura looked at Agnes, who was the only one of the three sitting upright in her chair, motionless, holding the cross in her hand, and saying nothing.

.........

Katie was eventually found dead in her bed. This morning during exercise, the children noticed that Katie hadn't come over.

The girls, who thought she had overslept, laughed and went back to the dorm to wake her...

But when they pulled back the covers, they found that Katie had closed her eyes forever, and purple lines were spreading across her body.

When Sakura arrived, her expression changed instantly, and she shouted without hesitation to the personnel stationed outside:

"Seal off the monastery! Everyone get out of this room! Detain anyone who has entered the room! This is Honkai disease. Do as I say if you don't want to die!"

"Ah... Ahhhhhh!!!"

Suddenly, the girl closest to Katie screamed. She looked at her hand and saw purple lines spreading from her fingertips to her neck.

"Sister Ying, please don't..."

Padofilis instinctively cried out in alarm, but the Frost Prison Ice Heaven sword at Sakura's waist had already been drawn, and the next second, the girl's head fell to the ground.

"Ahhhh!"

“Serissa, Seris!”