However, even though her memory was being erased by the Honkai Will, Anna did not give up immediately because she saw a different choice from Kiana.
That was a choice she failed to make.
If I had not chosen to escape, but faced it bravely, what would the outcome be?
This is the deepest regret in Anna's heart, and now she has found the answer from Kiana's performance.
Today's Kiana is exactly the same as Anna back then, but the choices they made are completely opposite. Kiana is like a mirror, reflecting the step that Anna failed to take.
She saw in Kiana the courage that she lacked and the responsibility that she failed to shoulder. In other words, Kiana's existence healed Anna's most fearful and self-blaming shortcomings.
"I don't want to escape anymore."
"But I don't have the chance to make a choice again."
306 Reconnaissance
"The blizzard seems to have weakened a lot." Holding his equipment box in his left hand, Chen Tianwu pulled his hood down with his right hand to cover his eyes.
The howling cold wind mixed with ice crystals scratched his cheeks. Even though 74% of his body structure had been transformed into machinery, it was still difficult to resist the erosion of the low temperature.
"Don't let your guard down, this is a Herrscher." Raven held his Seven Thunders sniper rifle and followed Chen Tianwu down the transport ship. The crew was able to deliver the two people safely in such extreme weather, and their ability was also quite excellent.
In addition to his weapons, Raven is also equipped with three cylindrical boxes about ten centimeters long on his sides. The black boxes are covered with golden patterns, and there are faint traces of flowing energy ripples.
This is the so-called Yellow Spring Staff, a precious legacy left by the previous civilization. With the materials the World Serpent has now, it can only barely make 8 of them. Raven used one when fighting Mei in Changkong City, and this time he brought three directly.
"To ensure that everything goes well, I'll give you one of these." Taking off the hook from his waist, Raven handed one of them to Chen Tianwu.
Theoretically speaking, with Chen Tianwu's current qualifications, he has no right to use this strategic tool. But after all, there are only two people in this operation. If Raven encounters an accident, they can take care of each other and avoid being wiped out.
Chen Tianwu was not unfamiliar with this thing. Raven had shown him the information about the Yellow Spring Staff before the operation began. However, he had thought that this thing would be like a real scepter with a bit of magical color, but it turned out to be a complete product of technology and had no connection with Yellow Spring at all.
"Imaginary interferometer."
"Yes, it is essentially this thing. I don't know why the Jackal insisted on naming it the Staff of the Underworld. But after all, it was made by her, so the Gray Snake and the Lord tacitly accepted her bad taste."
Raven explained casually as she gathered her cloak closer to her to make sure the storm wouldn't obscure her vision.
"We will act together later. I will cover you and set up a sniper position about 200 meters away from you. Remember, if you find the Herrscher, don't hesitate and use the Staff of the Underworld to interfere with her connection with the imaginary space. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the two of us to face the complete Herrscher."
"In other words, my job is to act as bait and create opportunities for you?" Obviously, Chen Tianwu also knew his position. His combat strength was not outstanding, and his physical fitness was far inferior to that of the Valkyrie. The only advantage he had was that he was more adaptable to Honkai energy than others.
However, this high adaptability is only relative to ordinary people. It is more because of the large amount of mechanization of his body that he can resist high concentrations of Honkai energy. Unlike other people, he will not be infected and become a dead soldier before he even gets close to the Herrscher.
Faced with Chen Tianwu's self-deprecating question, Raven did not deny it and looked a little cold and heartless.
But in fact, as long as Chen Tianwu completes the task, he can leave the battlefield as soon as possible, while Raven must fight the Herrscher head-on and is the main output of this mission. Not only is he responsible for suppression, but he also has to ensure that the Herrscher does not lose control and can be recovered stably.
In terms of the degree of danger, it is far beyond what Chen Tianwu can compare to.
Of course, both of them knew very well that saying they were bait was just an insignificant joke made by Chen Tianwu to ease the tense atmosphere before the war.
Just like he had told Anna, if they could escape the disaster, they would go on a date together.
In essence, this sentence was just a joke made by Chen Tianwu to ease Anna's fear. Raven knew it was a joke, but Anna took it seriously.
"Anna."
Unconsciously thinking of the girl again, Chen Tianwu subconsciously pressed the necklace on his heart. He shook his head slightly to put aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind and focus on the task.
He knew very well in his heart that Anna was not here now and was safe. However, he did not have much time left. If he could not retrieve the Herrscher in time, the Snow Lotus Team Anna was with would arrive at the Coral Island and they would definitely be in danger.
Therefore, whether for the World Serpent's mission or to prevent Anna from falling into crisis, Chen Tianwu must eliminate the Herrscher in advance.
"Maybe at the end of this mission, I'll have a chance to meet Anna again."
Chen Tianwu had too many doubts in his heart and too many words he wanted to say to Anna. He was already prepared. After this mission was completed, he would temporarily withdraw from the World Snake and chase the girl's footsteps.
There is also the mysterious force Qian Jue, which he must investigate thoroughly.
After getting ready, Chen Tianwu and Raven quickly began to explore the coral island.
Although it was the equator, it was as cold as the Antarctic. The metal floor creaked from the cold, and huge cracks appeared at the joints due to contraction caused by the cold.
There were blue ice crystals everywhere, and the frozen icebergs reflected his shadow like a mirror. Fortunately, after entering the glacier, the invasion of the blizzard was greatly alleviated, allowing Chen Tianwu to move safely.
In such an extremely low temperature, even the Honkai beasts were frozen by the glaciers. Walking in it, Chen Tianwu felt like visiting an exhibition hall. Fortunately, he did not see the body of the Valkyrie, which proved that the Snow Lotus team was indeed not here.
"How are you doing there?"
Raven's voice came from the radio, Chen Tianwu stopped and opened the box in his hand. Inside the box was his computer, and the screen was showing a holographic map, but there was no red mark belonging to the Herrscher.
"No Herrscher signal was detected. I think it was caused by the blizzard's signal interference."
"Don't let your guard down. The signal from a Herrscher will be very unclear if he is not using his power. If he is injured, the signal will also be very weak."
"Could it be that the Herrschers would deliberately hide and launch a sneak attack?" In the World Serpent's database, the descriptions of the Herrschers were all extremely dangerous and powerful in destruction. With Chen Tianwu's humble combat power, he could be killed with a single blow, so there was no need for a sneak attack.
Thinking back to the Herrschers he had met, Raven sighed inwardly, "It's hard to say... Wait."
Just as Raven was moving forward with a sniper rifle in her arms, she suddenly noticed a dark shadow flashing in the snowstorm.
The opponent's speed was too fast for Raven to see clearly, but she did not relax her vigilance. She clearly felt that the concentration of Honkai energy around her was increasing, and this strange reaction most likely indicated that the Herrscher was nearby.
"Night Owl, be ready to fight at any time. You only have a dozen seconds to react to the Herrscher. You must delay until I can provide support."
"Okay..." After hearing what Raven said, Chen Tianwu also became nervous. He slowly moved forward, and there were frozen buildings all around him.
Passing through a ridiculously large block of ice, an empty space came into his sight.
There was nothing here, even the ubiquitous Honkai beast specimens did not exist. However, in this dead silent square, a black and white female figure quietly stayed in front of the glacier.
The pale long dress, the black veil, and the coldness that almost freezes people at a glance.
The moment he saw this figure, Chen Tianwu felt as if his breath was being strangled and he felt suffocated.
The next second, a glaring red warning sign appeared on the empty holographic map.
Law maker!
"Chen Tianwu, be careful." At this moment, the voice of Raven was heard from the headset.
On the other side, Raven looked at the white-haired girl in the distance who seemed to be looking for something, and his fingers holding the Seven Thunders of Purification trembled slightly.
307 Unexpected Rebellion
Her limbs were numb, her body was freezing, and her human rationality was disappearing as the erosion intensified. Anna was like a drifting ice ghost, wandering in this extremely cold place.
While the Herrscher's consciousness was put into a deep sleep by Kiana, she desperately suppressed her desire for Honkai and stayed away from densely populated areas as much as possible, just so that her body would be more easily destroyed by the Valkyrie after she fully awakened as the Herrscher.
She froze the abandoned city area and used it as her own grave.
However, perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was the deliberate arrangement of the Ruler of Law, this lonely tomb could not rest in peace even in the end.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the silent glacier, and Anna, who was in self-sealing, was gradually awakened. She raised her head and saw the figure slowly breaking into the field.
The next second, an incredible surprise emerged in her mind.
Two years later, Anna never thought that she would see the boy again in such a place and at such a time. Even though the boy had become much more mature, Anna still recognized the familiar look at the first time.
"Chen uh huh"
Anna wanted to call out the name, but she had long lost the ability to speak and could only make a strange sound.
Uncontrollable panic emerged in her mind. Anna, who had clearly decided not to escape anymore and to face her fate calmly, once again felt the teasing of fate on her.
Why is Chen Tianwu here? Anna didn't have time to think about this question. She only knew that her resistance to the Herrscher consciousness was on the verge of collapse. If Chen Tianwu didn't leave in time, she would kill him with her own hands.
This was something she could never accept.
With the arrival of Chen Tianwu, the originally dormant consciousness of the Herrscher seemed to have sensed the breath of humans. The Honkai energy in Anna's body was constantly gathering, and the Herrscher core, which had finally calmed down, was rising rapidly at a terrifying speed.
"Hurry up!"
Anna sensed signs that her body was losing control, and she trembled as she issued a warning, but to Chen Tianwu the sound sounded like the roar of a Herrscher.
The moment Bing Lu's gaze fell on him, Chen Tianwu felt as if his whole body was shrouded in coldness, and even his mechanical body became dim due to the low temperature.
However, as a cadre of World Snake, he did not lose his mind. After a brief moment of daze, he immediately put down the briefcase in his hand. The screen was already filled with glaring red warning signs, and Chen Tianwu pulled the trigger to eject it.
In the compartment below there is a special pistol and a melee dagger. These weapons are difficult to use against Honkai beasts and are almost useless against the Herrscher, but he has no choice now.
"Raven, get ready to pick me up." Chen Tianwu's nerves were tense. It was the first time he faced such a terrifying enemy. Even though he was usually lazy, he felt the pressure.
"I found her too... sizzle..."
The voice coming from the headset made Chen Tianwu feel a little relieved. He still trusted Raven, but due to the interference of the Herrscher's energy on the electromagnetic signal, there seemed to be some problems in the communication between the two.
He did not run away. There was no point in running away from the Herrscher. His mission was to be a bait, to create opportunities for Raven. In order to prevent Anna from being involved in the battle with the Herrscher, he could not retreat.
Taking off the Yellow Spring Staff from his waist, Chen Tianwu looked at Bing Lu's figure floating in the air with caution. However, the Herrscher did not attack him immediately, but seemed to be suppressed by something.
He quickly realized that this might be an opportunity, and without any hesitation, Chen Tianwu immediately raised the Yellow Springs Staff and aimed it at Anna.
"Welcome to your death, Herrscher."
As Chen Tianwu whispered softly, the Yellow Spring Staff suddenly burst out with golden light, and countless rays of light spread like a rain curtain, constructing a restraining field that was enough to interfere with the imaginary space. But this was only interference. In order to disrupt the connection between the Herrscher's core and the imaginary space, the Yellow Spring Staff had to hit the Herrscher.
Sensing the threat, Bing Lu instinctively wanted to dodge, but Anna, who sensed that the Honkai energy in her body was being suppressed, immediately realized the role of the Yellow Springs Staff. She forced her remaining little ability into the battle with the Herrscher's consciousness for the body, creating an opportunity of less than a second for Chen Tianwu.
Half a second was enough for the beam of light from the Yellow Springs Staff to completely penetrate Bing Lu's body, and the connection between the Herrscher core in Anna's body and the imaginary space was cut off.
The Herrscher consciousness that was using the Herrscher core to repair the injuries inflicted on Kiana lost its supply of Honkai energy and was completely awakened. Anna's consciousness didn't even last half a second before being submerged, and her body completely lost control and was completely taken over by the Herrscher consciousness.
However, Anna did not fall asleep, but watched everything from Binglu's perspective. She looked at the calm boy in the distance, and her soul gradually became calm.
"Are you here to kill me?"
All the mistakes came from the initial escape. Not being able to save Chen Tianwen was Anna's biggest sin, and not being able to meet Chen Tianwu again was her deepest regret.
Now, Chen Tianwu appeared in front of her again, as an enemy.
For Anna, this is actually the best ending.
On that day, she failed to fulfill her mission as a Valkyrie and failed to keep her oath.
And now, she will use her death as atonement to Chen Tianwu, and be eliminated in the form of a human being as the fulfillment of her mission as a Valkyrie.
She no longer escaped and welcomed her final destination.
"Kill me, Chen Tianwu."
but.
"Raven?"
The Staff of Yellow Springs was successful, but the sniper of Raven had not yet arrived. The whole space was as silent as death, with only broken ice and gradually condensing frost gradually covering Chen Tianwu.
Feeling a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart, Chen Tianwu kept calling out to Raven, but the communication signal was severely interfered with, with only a crackling noise coming out.
In the huge square, only Chen Tianwu and Anna stood facing each other.
Chen Tianwu's heart sank as he hadn't received a reply from Raven. The scene of his contact with Raven flashed through his mind, and a terrible guess slowly formed in his mind.
Raven, most likely rebelled.
"Damn it!"
The effect of the Yellow Springs Staff only lasts for more than 10 minutes. During this period, the Herrscher's core cannot obtain Honkai energy from the imaginary space, but this does not mean that the Herrscher's own strength will be greatly reduced. The power from the Herrscher can still easily kill Chen Tianwu.
Now that Raven has rebelled, Chen Tianwu faces the Herrscher of Ice alone, with no chance of winning.
Chen Tianwu, who had judged the situation, turned around and ran, but as soon as he took a step, countless ice cones blasted towards him.
The biting cold was transmitted to his brain through the artificial nerves, and he could only roll on the ground in a slightly awkward manner and hide behind the frozen building. But this also cut off his only way of retreat, and countless ice cones completely blocked the way he came.
The only sound he could hear was his own breathing, and there was a hint of pain in Chen Tianwu's eyes.
"Anna, I may not have the chance to meet you again." The half-piece of the light blue heart-shaped necklace was shining like ice crystals. Chen Tianwu held it in his hand as if praying, and then hung it around his neck.
When he stood up again, the panic in his eyes had gradually dissipated.
308 Two Sides of the Mirror
At the edge of the coral island, the entire city was frozen by the power of the Ice Herrscher, covering an area of more than 50 kilometers. If Kiana hadn't bought time for the residents to evacuate, at least a million ordinary people would have turned into exquisite ice sculptures along with these buildings.
If it weren't for the trick of fate, Anna and Chen Tianwu's meeting should have been full of warmth and expectations of reunion. Unfortunately, now there is only biting coldness enveloping the two of them.
What's even more tragic is that Anna's consciousness recognized Chen Tianwu the first time, but she could not change anything and could only watch her regular self approach him.
And because of the false information deliberately arranged by Su Jue, Chen Tianwu believed that the Snow Lotus Team was still hundreds of kilometers away. He never imagined that the terrifying Herrscher on the opposite side was actually Anna in disguise.
