Collapse Iron Live Broadcast Connects All Worlds, Scares Away Wuzhan at the Beginning

"She saw the remains of a red greatsword in a display case on the other side. It hovered in the air, pulled by an unknown force, outlining the outline of a broken blade. The mottled surface, like a wasteland burned by a raging fire, spoke of its past."

"Suddenly, a slight warmth came from the air, brushing against my cheek and lingering beside Xing's ear."

-

Honkai Impact 3rd.

"This sword..." Ji Zi stared at the broken sword quietly, her brows furrowed slightly. An inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over her, as if this broken weapon had once trembled in her hands, slicing through the darkness of despair.

"Eh—" Kiana said in surprise, "Aunt Jizi, the shape of this greatsword is very suitable for your Valkyrie Armor."

"Kiana... How did you tell it would fit into Himeko-sensei's armor based on just a few broken pieces of the sword?" Mei quietly examined the remaining fragments of the sword. "And since it's so shattered, I'm sure the person wielding it must have experienced some extraordinary battle, right?"

"Indeed, if Aunt Jizi's weapon becomes like this..." The girl only thought about it for a moment, then immediately shook her head: "Forget it, forget it, it's still too unlucky!"

Looking at the girl's swaying twintails, Jizi suddenly burst out laughing and reached out to rub Kiana's head: "Who can predict the future?"

"but--"

She slowly lowered her hand and placed it on Kiana's shoulder, her tone firm: "As your instructor and captain, no matter how broken my weapon becomes, I will do my best to protect each and every one of you and keep you from falling into danger."

"Eh?! Aunt Hime... Aunt Himeko, please don't say that!"

"This is my principle." Ji Zi's lips curled up into a smile. "Let's go, the next class should be practical training. Kiana, since you asked me to worry less, I will be your opponent in the practical combat, right?"

-

"Xing was observing the Black Tower's treasures, while Leonard was deducing on his own. He finally came up with some clues. He realized that among the Black Tower's treasures was a game cartridge called 'Punk Lord Spirit,' which was also on the list of missing treasures."

"Leonard speculated that Silver Wolf's actions in the space station were just a deception. She didn't take the star core at all, but the 'Punk Lord Spirit' game cartridge!"

"Xing nodded. The Star Core Hunter did not take the Star Core away because the Star Core was taken away by her."

"The Star Core Hunters' actions will actually serve as a smokescreen for our pursuit. Amazing! As expected of a Punchlord." Leonard exclaimed in amazement.

"Although Xing felt that this guy was a bit over-interpretive, he was still willing to accompany him to the monitoring room. However, after some investigation, the facts slapped Leonard in the face. He discovered that the strange object had not left the space station at all, but was sent to Ms. Black Tower's office."

"This is the only clue we have. Leonard refuses to give up, so Xing has no choice but to accompany him to the Black Tower's office."

"But as Xing pushed open the door to Black Tower's office, he felt a chill on the back of his neck—a subtle smell of gunpowder filled the room, and unfortunately, the fuse had already been lit. Black Tower and Screw Gum were staring at each other, and the atmosphere was tense."

"Don't even think about it." The puppet in the black tower suddenly folded its arms and raised its voice a few notches. "I repeat, I don't care what Ruan Mei said to you. You want to shut down the simulation? No way!"

"Black Tower, this is my decision." ScrewGum's tone remained calm and gentle. "Question: What have we invested in this project? Hundreds of system hours, the resources of an entire planet, and the most advanced technology in the universe. And what have we gained? Uncertainty, doubt, and a series of errors."

"You said it yourself, 'The simulated universe requires errors.' The current situation perfectly fits the bill, so why are you dissatisfied?"

"I appreciate the flow of knowledge, but, Black Tower, think about this project. How many surprises has it given you? And how many disappointments has it brought you?"

"The simulation never lets me down, it's you who lets me down... screw you. You think you're so great? You're just like, a... a guy from the idiot club."

Chapter 284: Punchlord Spirit (IV)

Teyvat.

Inside the restaurant of the Nata Flame Arena.

"Oh my God! These two people are actually quarreling?" Aqiao was flying in the air, holding a string of sizzling meat in his hands, looking excitedly at the two people in the sky who were as hostile as water and fire.

"If you ask me, arguing won't solve the problem, so let's just fight. Whoever wins will be the one who gets to obey the simulated universe!"

Kinich reached out and grabbed A'qiao's leg, throwing him behind him. "Don't yell or scream. That lady in the Black Tower is an Envoy of [Intelligence]. A'qiao, you should know that you should take some protective measures before observing an Envoy-level battle, right?"

The last time Huanlong crushed the stars, most of the spectators in Nata were blinded, even Long was no exception. Aqiao screamed especially fiercely. If it weren't for the abundant power emitted by Jianmu that later healed his eyes, he would probably have been in trouble for the rest of his life.

From then on, Nata's side reached a consensus that as long as the envoys were to fight, no matter how big or small the matter was, at least one pair of goggles to protect against glare was a must.

"Envoy? Wouldn't that be even more exciting?" A'Qiao somersaulted in the air, spinning in circles in an exaggerated tone. "But her cursing skills are too poor, aren't they? A dignified Envoy, and this is it? This?"

"If it were me, this screw-gum would have cursed like this!" He cleared his throat and imitated Black Tower's angry look:

"Screw Gum, shut your filthy mouth now, you dark idiot! You stingy piece of iron who can't even be bothered to change the lubricant! If I hadn't seen you were a mechanical idiot with a stuck gear, my Black Tower would have already turned around and around—turned you to death!"

Kinich seemed to be used to it by now, raising his eyebrows slightly. "After all you've said, your scolding isn't that bad to hear."

"Hah?! Kinichi, you stubborn wild—"

Just as Aqiao was about to swear sweet words, he was grabbed by Kinich, thrown into a cage and put in solitary confinement, and his portion of barbecue was confiscated.

-

"Black Tower, I have no intention of questioning you, nor will I deny your efforts in simulating the universe. I simply hope to give knowledge more room to grow freely—"

"Enough!" Heita interrupted him angrily. "If you don't want to do this, then quit and go talk to the other two people yourself... Oh, take your skills with you too. I don't want them."

"Heita rushed out of the office, but suddenly stopped at the door."

"Screw Gum, we've known each other for so long, and this is the first time..." She slowly tilted her face, her doll jawline forming a sharp arc, "I feel like you're just a piece of cold iron."

"When Xing arrived, Screw-Gum promptly apologized to her. When Xing asked about the reason, Screw-Gum calmly explained that it was an academic disagreement between them. Disagreements often lead to bigotry, and bigotry can hinder the formation of knowledge."

“Are you concerned about her mental state?”

"I'm more worried about the mental state of the staff." Xing glanced at Leonard, who was trembling behind him.

"Thank you for your humor; it helps ease the tension." Screwgum shook his head. "Organic life's emotions are like tides. I misjudged the moon's direction. Let Black Tower be alone for a while; it will benefit our subsequent discussions."

"Xing simply explained the whole story to Screw-Gum. After a quick search, he explained that the 'Punklod Spirit' wasn't just any ordinary artifact, but a love letter from a sea ranger to the universe."

"In Punklod, 'Ether Cassettes' are the chips hackers use to edit reality. They're also a record of their lives, proof of their existence. And the one contained within the station belongs to a legend among them. The owner of the cassette is a seafarer who has traveled the galaxy for ages. The cassette contains a wealth of crucial information, forming part of the vast computational data used to simulate the universe."

"If we want to continue our investigation, heading into the simulation is the best way. Considering that the simulation is about to be shut down by him, now is our only chance to investigate."

-

Black robe patrol team.

"Finally turning this damn thing off."

In the conference room on the top floor of the Water Building, Homelander watched Screwgum's speech, a hint of pleasure flashing in his blue eyes.

The star god that appeared here, which was beyond Earth and even beyond cognition, had caused widespread panic around the world. For a time, various organizations and factions emerged like mushrooms after rain. There were "Masked Fools" who claimed to believe in Aha, and "City Builders" who followed Cun Hu. In short, there were too many...

The key point is that these organizations not only did not help his support rate, but also advocated against superhumans and attributed their belief in star gods - which made his already declining support rate even worse.

Suddenly, Ashley pushed open the door of the conference room and invited him to go to the training room on the lower floor, where she had selected the "Pure Knight" candidates.

"Ah."

The two descended together in an elevator. Pushing open a sealed door, they were immediately greeted by the cacophony of training sounds. The training room was brightly lit, and various superhumans were testing their abilities—some darting around at high speeds, others demonstrating superhearing, and still others lifting multi-ton barbells. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and metal.

"You," Ashley pointed to a conspicuous figure, "come here."

The man turned, his armor gleaming coldly under the overhead light. He was tall and slender, with long, fiery red hair that looked like blazing flames, and a face so handsome it seemed almost unreal. Medieval silver armor fitted his frame, and in his hand he grasped an ornately decorated spear.

"Mr. Homelander," he said in a low, elegant voice, with a hint of barely perceptible emotion, "it is a great honor to meet you."

"And you, my friend, you are the real hero." Homelander smiled perfectly and reached out to pat his shoulder armor, with the metal making a crisp clash of sounds.

"Not bad," he said, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Ashley, introduce me to her."

"Yeah." Seeing her countryman so happy was rare, and Ashley finally felt relieved. "His ability is plant manipulation. He can make roots and vines grow within a five-meter radius. We performed plastic surgery on him as quickly as possible, and his red hair was just dyed."

"Most importantly, the knight himself is part of the LGBTQ+ community, which can help us gain enough favorability among young people. His parents are a black gay couple, and they also have considerable appeal in the 50-year-old age group."

Chapter 285: Punchlord Spirit (V)

"Yeah, very good." Homelander smiled and nodded. He looked down at something and said, "Ashley, take off your boots."

Ashley froze for a moment, but quickly bent down and unhooked her high heels. Her slender feet touched the cold metal floor, and she unconsciously curled her toes.

"Now..." Homelander stared at the knight, his voice frighteningly brisk, "Kneel down and lick her feet."

The smile on the knight's face froze instantly, then faded. His lips trembled slightly, and a hint of disbelief flashed in his eyes: "This... Mr. Homelander..." He spoke with difficulty, "This does not conform to the principles of 'Pure Knight'..."

Homelander suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter echoing in the training room, carrying a certain sarcasm and mockery. The other superhumans stopped what they were doing, and the air seemed to freeze.

The next second, a flash of red appeared in his eyes——

"boom!"

The knight's head exploded like a ripe watermelon. Blood splattered across the surrounding floor and walls, a few drops of warm blood even splashing onto the Homelander's impeccable uniform. Ashley was instantly terrified. He was closest to the knight, and his face was covered in a thick layer of blood.

The headless corpse froze for a second before collapsing to the ground with a heavy metallic thud as its armor collided with the ground. Homelander looked down at the bloodstains on his uniform, frowned, and then turned to look at the terrified Ashley.

"Remember." His voice was eerily calm. "I don't give a damn if he's a pure knight or not, or whatever he is. But in Walt, the first thing you need to be a hero is... absolute loyalty to me."

He paused, glancing at the headless body on the floor as if it were garbage. "Whoever it is, whatever it is."

Ashley swallowed and nodded: "...I understand."

-

"Before leaving for the simulated universe, Xing discovered that the black tower he had just stormed out of in anger had returned."

“You’re back?”

Heita raised his chin and snorted, "Look at whose name is written on the office sign. Why can't I come back? Humph, I don't want to leave. I insist on standing here."

"What? You can't wait to see me back? Ha, I don't care what you guys do. Do whatever you want. Just leave me alone."

"Okay..." Xing didn't want to be bored anymore. After a brief discussion with ScrewGum, he entered the simulated universe.

"This time, the simulated universe was different from before. Xing felt a ripple, and the overwhelming sense of weightlessness made her lose control of her limbs. Amidst the rippling characters and codes, she suddenly woke up—"

"Ms. Xing, are you okay?" Screw-Gum's voice rang in my ear."

"Now Xing is in the data link where the Ether Cartridge is located. She looks around and tells Screw Gum that there is a virtual Silver Wolf in front of her."

"Oh..." Screw-Gum pondered for a moment. "Conclusion: It's a holographic record of the simulated universe. Here, every variable is preserved, no matter how small, including, of course, the footprints of outsiders."

"Screw Gum had barely finished speaking when Silver Wolf turned his head and said, 'Hey, why are you staring at me?'"

"He spoke!?" Xing was terrified.

"I've advanced the simulation. She's not talking to you; this is just a record of the past. Please don't interrupt her. Listen carefully, and we might learn more," said Screw-Gum.

“First of all, I don’t think about it that much. The story of that cassette is well known in Punchlord, and I’m not interested.”

"And secondly, that's not some game disc, that's the Ether Cartridge—a hacker's second pair of eyes, second brain, second heart. You know? With this cartridge, you can even tell what the fourth kernel of popcorn mix he ate at the movie premiere tasted like. It's that powerful."

"Finally, let me emphasize again that I'm not dwelling on it. I've said all this just to explain to you how powerful it is. Do you understand, Kafka?"

-

One Punch Man.

Child Emperor bit his lollipop and slid his fingers quickly across the holographic screen, quickly recording information about the "Ether Cassette".

"This is incredible..." he muttered to himself, his voice filled with the excitement of a child. "As long as you possess this cassette, you can completely read the owner's life memories, knowledge, and even emotional experiences? Isn't this equivalent to gaining access to another person's entire existence?"

"If we can analyze this technology, we can preserve the heroes' combat experience, and even before they..." He suddenly stopped, his words stuck before the word "sacrifice".

"Child Emperor, don't be too obsessed with that kind of alien technology."

A faint light flickered in the Drive Knight's single eye, and a low hum echoed from within his pitch-black armor. "Before you know anything about Miss Silver Wolf from Punklod, it's best for you to never even think about the hacking technology displayed on the sky screen."

"Eh? Why did Drive Knight say that?"

"Because..." Drive Knight was at a loss for words. He didn't know how to persuade the talented boy in front of him. Child Emperor became the fifth S-class hero at the age of ten. His future achievements are limitless. Maybe in his eyes, there is no technology that he cannot conquer?

But Drive Knight could see at a glance that the technology that modified reality could no longer be called "technology". Without being able to obtain a sample of the ether cartridge, that thing was pure magic, even more unrealistic than trying to analyze Tornado's superpowers.

"Instead of thinking about the Ether Cassette, Child Emperor, you should think about how to connect the Interstellar Peace Company with Earth. If your sole goal is to eliminate monsters, whether it's developing new weapons yourself or contacting the company... that would be more efficient than researching Punk Lord's technology, right?"

-

"It seems there are two people entering the simulation this time—her and Kafka."

"Screw-Gum called it hilarious and woven Xing into her companions' perspective. Now she'll react to his movements."

"Facing a fork in the road, Silver Wolf looked at Xing with interest: "Want to pick one? Test your favorite... intuition."

“She’s asking me to choose?”

"ScrewGum: "To be precise, she's letting her companions make a choice. Even if you do nothing, this record will continue to advance."

"And so it is—even if Xing hasn't made a choice, Silver Wolf will announce the correct answer the next moment: the right side."

"However, the Star Lord is a rebel. She is determined to go to the left. She wants to see how Silver Wolf will respond."

Chapter 286: Punchlord Spirit (VI)