K424 of the Collapse World

"What is the goal of that Valkyrie...? I'm a little concerned."

Looking at the holographic projection map that kept flashing information, the star-like light points were reflected in the pupils of the red-haired girl. Tesla stretched slightly and stood up from the chair.

"Well, I'll just move around a bit. I can't do anything just by staying here..."

In the early morning, although it was midsummer, this small Russian town was not warm. A damp and cold wind filled the atmosphere, forcing people to put on thick coats and start their day's work.

As the sun gradually rose, the cold air was no longer so biting, and the streets soon became noisy. Busy pedestrians hurriedly walked across the avenue. People standing on the street waiting for the bus talked about work with relish, looked down on the homeless people on the street corners, and laughed from time to time.

064 People in the Dark>>

Next to the highway platform, a hooded figure hurried past. In this fast-paced city, no one cared about such a strange person. At most, they would just look at him curiously. But they would soon find that there was nothing good about him. He was just a stranger who was a little thin compared to ordinary people.

Suddenly, the figure quickened his pace, nimbly passed through the crowded crowd, slipped into an inconspicuous alley, and soon disappeared.

After a while, two sturdy men squeezed out of the crowd and ran into the alley. Their hands were covered with calluses and their waists were bulging. They were obviously not good people. The two men looked around for a while as if they were looking for something, but they didn't seem to find what they were looking for, so they turned around and left.

·————————————·

With her back against the cold wall, the slender figure held her breath and concentrated. After confirming that there was no one else around, she seemed to relax and took off the hood that blocked her vision, letting her dark gray hair fall down. What was a little strange was that the ends of her hair were faintly visible.

It also has a light cherry pink color.

This is a young girl who looks only about 16 years old.

With a slight breath, she pressed a switch on the mechanical headset.

"Your Excellency, I have been targeted. I have now gotten rid of the pursuer, but there is no guarantee that I will be found again."

"Ha, you've worked hard. I believe that with your ability, those third-rate anti-entropic trash can't catch you. But speaking of it, are you really sure that she is in this place?"

Otto's voice came from the headset. The girl pondered for a moment, organized her words, and then spoke.

"Yes, I tracked that special Honkai energy to a small town on the Russian border. I got relevant information from local witnesses. She should have changed her hair color and followed a warlord in northern Russia. According to my investigation, the warlord opened an orphanage near this place, so it is very likely..."

"Okay, I understand. Anyway, are you sure that's K424?"

Otto interrupted the girl's reasoning. He didn't care about the girl's actions, he only cared about the results.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Haha... that's good. Let's continue with the mission. I wish you good luck, 'B-rank Valkyrie Fuhua'."

"Yes, I understand."

With a burst of noise, the communication was cut off. The girl slowly put on her hood again and walked deeper into the alley.

Fu Hua? This is just the identity that Otto gave me. What is my real name?

(No... this kind of thing is not important. As long as we follow the instructions of that guy, it will be enough. He should abide by the agreement and protect the land. Other than that, nothing else matters.)

Anyway, everything I did was for that ancient promise...

The girl with long purple hair returned to the orphanage, reached out her hand, pushed open the black fence door, and walked in.

The flower beds are colorful. In midsummer, most of the flowers in this courtyard have bloomed. The colorful petals dotted the front yard, creating a vibrant scene.

On this sunny, cloudless day, most of the children left the dull interior and played around the courtyard.

"Hey... come and catch me~"

"I'm here, Sister Annie!"

"You two, slow down..."

"Hush, don't move, watch me catch that butterfly..."

……

Lan Feng just smiled and looked at Xing who was participating in the event, then silently passed by these children and walked towards the square building not far ahead.

The pink-haired little girl had a smile on her face as she played and enjoyed the quiet afternoon with other children.

Suddenly, she noticed something and turned her head to look, but she only saw a hint of purple disappearing in the lobby of the building...

"Sister Shilis..."

She muttered to herself, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.

Of course, Xing was not the only one who noticed Lan Feng’s figure.

"The one who just passed by was... Shiris, right?"

"Ah, that little sister who looks like an ice cube..."

"Don't say that, Sister Shilis is very gentle!"

"...Yes, that's right! Shirley...she just helped me pick up the handkerchief my mother gave me..."

"Eh? Is that so? But I've never seen her smile at us..."

"Besides, Lais, relying on herself as the biggest boss here, always likes to bully Shirley! I heard that Shirley's previous injuries were caused by her!"

"It's just..."

……

Listening to the girls' chattering, Xing suddenly lost interest and sat on a stone slab nearby. At this moment, the gold in her right eye slowly faded away, and her pure silver pupil returned to its original state.

"Sister Shilis's wings are becoming more and more beautiful..."

Xing murmured to herself, recalling the huge winged shadow she had just seen from Lan Feng, with a hint of loneliness on her face.

"But, Sis Shirisi-sama doesn't care about Anzu like she used to... What should I do? I really want to get closer to such a dazzling sister..."

Following Lan Feng's advice, Xing usually kept her right eye closed. Thanks to this, she could play with those children without any hesitation. However, when she saw Lan Feng just now, she subconsciously activated that ability again, although it was only for a moment, but then she tilted her head slightly and saw those indescribable scenes, which made her lose interest in these friends.

"What can I do so that my sister can always stay by my side...?"

A strange black mist appeared beside the pink girl, gradually becoming thicker and thicker, reaching a level visible to the naked eye...

"Xing~ What are you waiting for? Come over and play with us~"

"……Um."

Responding to the girl's voice, Xing smiled again, and the black mist disappeared in the blink of an eye.

.

"Xing, you...?"

"Aini? What's wrong?"

Ai Ni looked at Xing and couldn't help but frown. For some reason, this pink-haired girl was no different from before, but at this moment, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of disharmony from Xing!

It was as if something bad was hidden beneath the girl's cute appearance...

"No, it's nothing."

This must be an illusion... Speaking of which, I have finally established a good relationship with this lovely girl, I can't neglect her.

"We're going to play hide and seek next, Kyouya, come join us!"

"Well, okay~"

Xing replied with a smile and ran over there. No one could see the darkness hidden deep in the girl's pupils.

·————————————·

"Sirius, you are still so withdrawn..."

Lan Feng, who had just entered the corridor, heard Cocolia's voice coming from the entrance of the corridor.

"Hello, mother."

Hearing the girl's meticulous and serious voice, Cocolia couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"Xing is outside too, isn't she going to play with them?"

"No, that's not necessary."

Lan Feng maintained her usual indifferent attitude towards Cocolia's concern. However, if she really had to say it, she was still a little nervous.

"I heard that Laisi came to see you again just now?"

"I am fine."

Lan Feng answered casually, lowering his head, not looking into Cocolia's eyes. He took a step forward, intending to go around Cocolia.

"Wait, Shiris."

However, Cocolia's hand suddenly rested on her shoulder. Lan Feng was slightly startled, and the Honkai Energy in his body was a little agitated, but he regained his composure in an instant, turned his head, and looked at Cocolia with a puzzled look.

"It's been so long, and you're still so wary of me... I'm really a little sad..."

When he touched the girl's shoulder, Cocolia felt the girl's body tremble violently. He could only smile bitterly and retract his hand.

Indeed, Lan Feng was still wary of Cocolia because in her eyes, Cocolia was as dangerous as Otto.

Lan Feng was concentrating in her heart. Thinking of her previous conversation with a certain being, she was about to go and check on Xi'er's situation.

What is Cocolia's plan at this time?

065 "Xi'er"

In the spacious corridor, Cocolia looked at the thin girl in front of her and sighed softly.

"Shilis, it has been a month since you came to this place, right?"

"No, this is the twenty-ninth day."

“…That’s about the same.”

Facing the girl's serious look, Cocolia helplessly put her hand on her forehead. She paused and looked directly into the girl's eyes.

"First of all, I should apologize to you, Shilis."

"...?"

Lan Feng's eyes widened slightly, and after a brief moment of shock, a look of confusion emerged on her face. She looked at Cocolia, waiting for her next words.

"To be honest, when you first came here, I did not relax my surveillance of you. Because... I am responsible for the safety of the other children here."

"After all, there are too many suspicious points about you. Before, I even doubted whether everything you said was a lie..."

Lan Feng listened quietly. It was obvious that Cocolia had already made a decision. No matter what her decision was, Lan Feng knew that it was time for him to act.

"In the past month, you have never done anything bad, and you didn't even resist Lais's bullying. It was just because of that little verbal promise... I can see that you also want to fit in here, so you are trying every means to gain my trust, right?"

"Shilis, I don't care what your purpose is, but if you really want to stay away from the war and find a peaceful life, then I can give you such a life. So, tell me your true thoughts, okay?"

After saying these words, Cocolia stopped talking and just stared quietly at Lan Feng who remained silent.

However, Lan Feng was not calm at the moment. She did not expect that Cocolia would suddenly say these words to her.

Is it the truth, or is it a test?

In fact, Lan Feng herself didn't have any clear goals at all, so she couldn't answer Cocolia's questions with truth from the beginning.

"I am just your 'daughter' who was picked up by you, mother."

After a long and intense ideological struggle, Lan Feng finally made up his mind and spoke.

Regardless of whether the other party is expressing his true feelings or just testing him, he has no choice but to answer with a lie, so it doesn't make any difference...

"For me, no matter what I do, it's just to survive. But, in this place, I am... very happy..."

"There are no bullets flying around, no soldiers with murderous intent on their faces, and no weirdos who tortured me wantonly.

"Scientists, everyone is very gentle, I... I just don't want to go back to that world... So, if I disobey your orders, you... will throw me away, right?"

The girl lowered her head, and by the end of her speech, her voice was already filled with sobs. Her hands tightly grasped the hem of her skirt, and she looked so pitiful that people couldn't help but want to hold her in their arms and protect her.

Cocolia looked at the girl in front of her in surprise. Just as she was about to say something, the girl turned around abruptly and ran deep into the corridor. Her figure disappeared around a corner not far away.

(So, is that what she really thinks? But, I always feel like...)

Looking at the metal staircase at the corner, Cocolia had a complicated expression on her face. She frowned slightly as she pondered...

(What a hassle! I’m not well prepared this time, so I’m bound to be exposed…)

In any case, Lan Feng felt a little uncomfortable deceiving someone who showed kindness to him.

Lying at the stairs, listening carefully to the noise downstairs, and making sure that Cocolia did not catch up, Lan Feng breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

(Cocolia...what are you planning?)

At this time, the orphanage's dormitory building was shrouded in silence as most of the children were not in their rooms.