I'm not Yingjie

The Herrscher is fully formed. If the Sixth Herrscher's Honkai energy reaction appears, a peak will appear out of nowhere, rather than this upward climb.

"...It will take about an hour for support from headquarters." Spasi said.

"..."

One hour to face the simultaneous attack of Herrscher and the Emperor-level Honkai Beast?

Chapter 86: Elegy of the Night

It was extremely lucky that three quarters of the people in the city were able to evacuate safely after the birth of the Herrscher. Apart from the fact that the purpose of the Fourth Herrscher was to chase the Fire Moth from the beginning, the influence of the Fifth Herrscher's Honkai energy spread beyond the city. Even if everyone in the city was evacuated, one fifth of the people would still die from the Honkai energy and the mutated dead soldiers and Honkai beasts.

The second and third Herrschers caused the death of nearly an entire city's population of tens of millions when they were born. The aftermath of the third Herrscher in the Far East even spread to Canghai City in Shenzhou, and the survivors in Canghai City, including Hua, were only about a hundred people.

In the eyes of the Fire Moth, and even in the eyes of everyone in the command room of the Fifth Branch, Lin and his team have exceeded their mission. Three-quarters of the population is also among the highest in the history of the survivor list, which is a rare number.

The upper-level Honkai beasts and Herrschers rarely cooperate in combat, so no one knows what kind of destructive power these two monsters at the top of Honkai creatures would have if they truly united. However, the people of the fifth branch know that the only remaining combat power, Lin and Ying, has strategically surpassed the remaining one quarter.

It does not require much consideration. When you know that continuing to fight will lead to death, preserving your combat effectiveness and waiting for support is the best option.

"Lin, you retreat to the fifth branch immediately." Spasi gave the order coldly.

"Retreat? What about the remaining people?" This command, which sounded a bit ridiculous to her, was the first sentence Sakura heard after joining the communication channel.

"The rest of the people are also evacuating. You need to conserve your fighting power now. After the appearance of the upper-level Honkai beast, the Honkai energy content in the city is rising rapidly. The fifth branch may also be attacked. If you sacrifice yourself, there will only be no one to protect the fifth branch and prevent unexpected situations before the support arrives."

"Don't worry. According to observations of Herrscher data, almost all Herrschers will have an adaptation period within 24 hours after birth. They will stay in one place to adapt to their powers."

The "ecological research" conducted by the Fire Moth on the Herrscher was obtained after collecting data many times, so there is no problem with the information that Spashi mentioned.

But just when Ying wanted to consult Lin's opinion, he said to the communicator in a calm tone: "But the upper Houkai beasts don't have this habit, and the range of the Herrscher's activities in the first 24 hours is not completely certain."

"...Lin." Spasi switched to a private channel, his voice was so cold that it made people tremble, "To describe the current situation with what Dr. Mei said, that is, letting more valuable people live is the right choice. If you live, more than a quarter of the people can be saved. Besides, even if you stay there, you can't stop the upper Houkai beasts and the Herrschers."

"Do you believe it yourself? A cripple and a novice can deal with Herrscher and upper Houkai beasts? Have you forgotten how you became what you are now?"

"We didn't alert the Sixth Herrscher to release the black mist. Isn't that enough?"

The sun was setting and Lin stood in the disappearing sunset. It seemed to him that the city was being shrouded in the approaching darkness. Even if the tiny bit of green in his eyes could illuminate the darkness, it was only the insignificant light of a firefly.

Protecting the fifth branch and preparing for the upcoming crusade is indeed a wiser choice. As long as the crusade is successful, more people will be saved from the threat of collapse.

For that quarter of people, or for the more people outside this city?

But in a moment, Lin made his choice.

Every time he faces a choice, and every time he gives the same answer.

This time, it is no exception.

"Ying, you retreat back to protect the fifth branch."

"..."

Lin casually broke the crutch and tied the lower half to his broken leg so that he could barely support himself. He then spoke to Sakura, who had a gloomy face and no emotion could be seen.

"Forest."

"Let more valuable people live. I am worthless, nothing." Lin looked up as if talking to himself, watching the sunset disappear into the sky, and darkness descending on the land. "I have no status or connections in ordinary human society. As a soldier in the Fire Moth, I have lost my ability to fight. This body will die completely in a few hours, so my value in this world has disappeared."

Lin lowered his head to look at the expressionless Spasi on the screen, then turned his face to the side and reached out to pull up the eyelid of his right eye, revealing the empty space inside. "Do you understand? Dr. Spasi, this eye can no longer see anything."

Dark, deep and empty.

He could no longer see either his past or his future.

In other words, he no longer had the value that Spasi said was worth sacrificing others for his survival.

Giving up the lives and deaths of a quarter of the human population is just a loss number on a report for the Fire Moths. Compared with the survival of the entire human race, they seem insignificant and are not even as valuable as any researcher at the headquarters.

But to themselves, their lives are everything to them.

"I hereby withdraw from the Fire Moth, and all subsequent actions are based on my own will."

Lin joined the Fire Moths to protect humanity, and now, he will also quit the Fire Moths to protect humanity.

"Dr. Spasi..." Some people in the command room couldn't help but call out to the expressionless Spasi, but he raised his hand to signal them to continue doing their own things.

He didn't say anything more, but cut off Lin's communication and said to Ying: "Special Operations Force 'Poison Pupa', immediately return to the Fifth Branch to perform the escort mission."

"..."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something to Lin, but it ended up being a heavy sigh.

"Thanks……"

"what?"

"Thank you for agreeing to trade with me, Dr. Mei."

Lin stood there with difficulty, looking at the back of the cherry-haired girl who was walking away quickly. He took out all the remaining potions.

Watching the bright green liquid tumbling in the syringe, he seemed to be back in Changkong City, on that stormy night.

Nothing has changed. I was alone then, and I am still alone now.

If defined by value, then he is indeed worthless at this moment, like a small cluster of dim fireflies in the dark night, no one can illuminate it, let alone light up this dark night.

But it's enough for now, to allow this useless body to complete its final mission and fulfill the original promise.

Even if it is just a firefly that may go out at any time, I believe it can light up the path of someone unknown, and they will continue to move forward along this path and reach the other side that he could not reach.

He questioned his heart and found that he had never wavered.

It’s not because of the so-called transformation, but because of the philosophy that comes from the heart.

Maybe that's enough.

"Fuck-"

The man tore off the bandage on his face, stabbed all the syringes into his neck, tilted his head back and opened his only remaining left eye wide, the faint fluorescent green emitting an inconspicuous light in his pupil.

In the city as night falls, a man completes the swan song of his life.

Chapter 87 Hero

"Roar--"

The pitch-black porcupine, after the daylight was completely devoured, raised its huge mouth full of intricate fangs on the mountainside and let out the first roar since its birth.

In her eyes, she saw "Lin" wearing his old equipment, standing in front of her fully armed. The familiar azure visual window was lit in the darkness, like the light of hope shining in her heart.

There was a time when all she saw was his back.

Always scarred, but never discouraged, just like a hero people talk about, standing up again and again.

Even though he always said that he was not a hero and that he could not become a hero, in her eyes, he was her hero, guiding her in the direction of progress.

So Lin weakened again and again, until in the end there was not much of her body left, and her spirit was dying along with him.

It doesn’t matter if nothing has changed in the past, just change it from now on.

Lin isolated himself behind the helmet, so that one day, he would be able to take off that curtain and return to the way he should be.

"I'm going."

"Lin" nodded to her. In her opinion, Lin's tone was no longer as cold and emotionless as usual. Instead, there was a little emotion that was not easy to detect but she discovered it.

So she smiled gently and said, "Well, just like before, I will protect our companions, Captain Lin, just fight with confidence."

"……I will."

The ferocious-looking porcupine was shaking the needles on its body, each of which was as thick as a telephone pole. The golden sound made by the collisions was chilling to the ears. Even in the black night of the same color, the needles were faintly flashing with a cold light that was enough to penetrate everything.

It first aimed at the west, where it could sense a large number of humans. As a follower of the Ruler of Death, it had a certain degree of life perception and was extremely sensitive to human breath. At a time when its master had not yet fully mastered the power, it was responsible for clearing out the humans in this city.

As this behemoth woke up, dead soldiers and Honkai beasts began to appear out of nowhere in the city. Unlike in the past, they were not humans and animals infected by Honkai energy, but they truly emerged from nowhere. The only thing in common was the cruelty and bloodthirstiness in their eyes.

When the porcupine takes a step, every step it takes will cause the entire mountain to shake. The phrase "earth-shaking" is the most appropriate for it. Its seemingly fat muscles are full of explosive power. Even if it just touches a tree casually, it will directly overturn it with its roots.

After going down the mountain, every time it stomped its feet, it would cause the amusement park's facilities to collapse. The huge Ferris wheel was scratched by the sharp spikes as it passed by, and collapsed directly from the bottom and fell to the ground.

Perhaps it was influenced by the Herrscher of Death. The porcupine's wisdom was quite high among the upper Honkai beasts. It knew that the Herrscher of Death had wiped out the combat team that came to investigate, and the city's military force could no longer resist him. The two little bugs that frequently harassed it were not worth mentioning. The life breath of one of them was so weak that it was even weaker than that of a dead soldier. It could not even sense his breath.

There were some impurities mixed in the man's body. Even the dead soldiers and Honkai beasts were simply a combination of living things and Honkai energy. He also had some substances that made living things afraid. It was estimated that he had used drugs that would destroy biological cells.

The porcupine was not in a hurry to leave. The Sixth Herrscher needed it to eliminate the two people. It could sense that one of them had left, but the other one had a weak breath, so it had to search carefully.

In her eyes, "Lin" was using his information collection device to search the entire amusement park. She had full confidence in "Lin" because this was what "Lin" was best at and no information could escape his eyes.

"Don't worry, I will protect you until the support arrives." She said happily to others. She was unusually excited to see Lin active on the battlefield again.

Eh? I want to see Lin fighting... That's not right...

The confusion in her eyes did not last long before it was broken by a loud noise.

……

The porcupine searches every place where people might be hiding. This is not a very strenuous task for it. It only needs to use its quills, huge hooves, and tail to sweep through the buildings that seem extremely small compared to its body size, and look among the rubble to see if there are any human remains.

Just when it found the haunted house, it didn't notice that the high-voltage wires above its head had fallen under its feet at some point.

A figure secretly pressed the switch, and high voltage electricity instantly flowed along the wires into the porcupine's body. However, this level of voltage only made it tremble, as if it was tickled, and it looked towards the person in the dark.

A bright green vertical pupil, like a snake hunting its prey, stared at it quietly.

"howl!"

The moment the target was confirmed, the needles on the porcupine's head instantly stood upright, tilted downward, and aimed at the fragile figure. With another roar, all the needles that could pierce the mountain burst out in an instant.

Lin did not dodge directly. He stood far away and focused on those huge needles. Those tips that cut through the air were able to turn him into a pool of meat paste even if they accidentally touched his body.

No, even the wind pressure caused could make him lose his balance.

So don't run away in fear, as that will only accelerate your death.

Lin supported himself with his leg on crutch and exerted explosive force with the other leg. Under the continuous effect of the drug, his muscle condition returned to normal level, and there was no problem in pushing his body to perform some extreme movements.

The whole person flew out like a ghost, turning into a strange shadow. Countless needles flew over his head, but none of them hit him.

"Roar--"

Unexpectedly, Lin did not run away, but rushed towards it. The porcupine, which had predicted Lin's escape route, roared again, raised its front hooves, and trampled on the galloping Lin.

Its weight exceeds that of the emperor-level Honkai beast of the fifth Honkai, and the power of death in its body is now spreading throughout its body and attached to its skin.

Death upon contact.

"Don't lose, Lin!"

In the distance, she shouted to the man who was facing the monster.

"You're my hero! So don't lose!"

"Forest!"

That ugly monster would not be a match for Lin. He had faced countless invincible opponents and won countless miraculous victories.

"Lin" raised his arms and pulled his fists into a bow, as majestic as a crescent moon.

Lin lowered his head, breathing weakly and fragilely as he faced forward.

"Am I your 'hero'..."

Lin raised his head.

That's right, a hero will never lose... So, I will win...

Chapter 88: Sneak Attack

"The Emperor-level Honkai Beast's Honkai energy reaction is moving at high speed! MSA-079 and the signal are very close to the Emperor-level Honkai Beast's reaction!"

"A large number of small Honkai reactions are occurring in the city!"

"A large number of animals and plants died in the city! A large number of deaths from Honkai disease have increased globally!"

Bad news hit everyone in the command room one after another. Spasi frowned and stared at Sakura's signal who was defending the branch, and another signal who was rampaging in the city.

The dead soldiers that were not taken seriously in this large-scale collapse have become the most difficult obstacle to overcome. The number of dead soldiers that appeared out of nowhere is several times or even dozens of times that in previous collapses. It only takes one corner to make a large number of pale-skinned humanoids swarm out like cockroaches, especially in areas with high content of collapse energy.

Moreover, the dead soldiers seemed to be able to find the location of humans. A steady stream of dead soldiers attacked the building. If all the entrances and exits had not been closed, perhaps the group of moving dead would have rushed into the command room and eaten them alive.

However, the defense of the Fifth Branch is also limited. The current means of attack are too simple. The Vulcan Cannon alone is almost unable to clear out the surrounding dead soldiers. This is the case when the Honkai Beasts do not participate in the attack. If a large Honkai Beast such as a tank-class Honkai Beast appears, the defense is likely to collapse instantly.