NOVEL WEB Chapter 242: Honesty
"Sorry, I was just so scared."
Anna's voice was meek and apologetic, like a frightened child. Seeing her like this, guilt pricked at Lin Wei. He softened his tone.
"I'm so glad you're alright…"
Recalling Anna's close call, a shiver of fear ran down Lin Wei's spine. That's why I lost my composure, he thought.
It had been truly dangerous. If he'd been even a few minutes later in changing his search strategy, still indulging in the self-satisfaction of rescuing random survivors, he might have completely missed Anna.
If that had happened… if I had remained blissfully ignorant… what then? He shuddered. He imagined a scenario, a cruel, holographic movie playing in his mind during his next brush with death, when his mind and body were pushed to their absolute limit.
The scene was all too vivid: Anna, trapped and outnumbered, desperately fighting off hordes of Honkai beasts, ultimately meeting a tragic end. And just a few hundred meters away, completely oblivious, he would be comforting another survivor he had managed to save.
The irony was chilling. Just the thought made his skin crawl. And the worst part? He realized, with a sickening lurch, that such a scenario would absolutely break him.
Damn it, this plot is getting weirder and weirder…
He shook his head, dispelling the unsettling thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Anna, his voice firm.
"It's safe now. I'll take you home."
"Mm!" Anna nodded vigorously, tears still welling in her eyes. Those simple words filled her with an overwhelming sense of relief. Just moments ago, she'd thought she'd never see home again. Now…
She couldn't believe it. Lin Wei had come to such a dangerous place, appearing like a divine warrior just when she was at her most desperate, pulling her back from the brink.
"I'm not dreaming, am I?" She clung to his arm like it was a lifeline, refusing to let go, as if he might vanish the moment she loosened her grip.
"Of course not. I'm right here." Lin Wei gently patted her cold hand and reached to unwrap the small child she was holding, his tone teasing. "You silly girl, even now you're burdened yourself with a little one. I don't know whether to praise your kindness or scold your stubbornness… Wait, she's burning up!" He recoiled as he touched the child's exposed skin.
"Ah!" Jolted from her emotional reunion, Anna quickly tightened her hold on the child. "Lin Wei, we have to go! She's in danger. I need to get her to a hospital!"
"There's no time, Anna." Lin Wei's calm voice sent a chill down her spine. "It's too far to the rear lines, and the wind from the aircraft… it would kill her before we got there."
"How could this be…" Anna's voice cracked. She looked down at the unconscious child, grief washing over her. "I promised… I promised I'd take her home…" She remembered the words, echoing Lin Wei's own, a promise she'd repeated to the little girl throughout their escape, as much for the child as for herself. And now…
The thought of another innocent life lost, especially after coming so close, was unbearable. I'm such a failure as a Valkyrie…
"You really want to save her, don't you?" Seeing Anna's despair, Lin Wei's heart softened. "There might be another way…"
"You have a way?" Anna's head shot up, hope flickering in her eyes. But it quickly dimmed as she realized what he meant. She shook her head vehemently. "No, we can't. You're too weak, and this place is too dangerous. I can't let you use that method!"
She remembered the underground of Coral Island, where she'd witnessed him restore a dying humanoid Machine. She didn't understand how, but she knew it took a heavy toll.
"You came here to save me. I can't be so selfish and put you in danger too!" She wiped away her tears, forcing a smile. Despite her grief, her voice was firm. "Let's go. We'll leave this place. I'll take care of her on the way…"
Lin Wei rubbed his temples. Here we go again… If Anna had begged him, he wouldn't have refused, but he would have seen her "saintly love" as selfish, and their relationship would have likely soured. But now…
"Fine, you win." He sighed, defeated. This made it impossible to refuse. "Don't worry, it's just an infection. Serious, yes, but not insurmountable." He brushed some dust off her shoulder. "It's not like limb regeneration or organ replacement, or something truly difficult like cellular and genetic collapse. A small injury like this won't take much. I'll recover quickly."
"Really? You're not lying to me?" Anna's eyes searched his, her voice fragile. "I'm… easy to fool…"
"…You know it!" He rolled his eyes, then continued, his voice tinged with sadness. "I just don't want to see you heartbroken. Trust me, with me here, everything will be alright."
If he could, he would prevent her from ever becoming a Herrscher. The thought of such a fate befalling this innocent girl was too cruel.
"…Really?" She still seemed hesitant, worried he was just putting on a brave face.
"Aren't you here, my esteemed Valkyrie, Miss Anna Schariac?" He handed her the Valkyrie armaments Jell Meister had given him. "Even if something goes wrong, you'll protect me, right? Just like on Coral Island." He decided to leave out the part about Yae Sakura as backup. Best not to complicate things.
Anna hesitantly took the equipment. As the familiar weight settled in her hands, a sense of confidence returned. That's right, I can fight!
"Yes, I will protect you!" she declared, her voice resolute. But then the fierce aura dissipated, replaced by a pleading look. "Just… don't push yourself, okay?"
"Ugh, enough with the nagging!" He flicked her forehead playfully, ending the discussion. He piloted the aircraft down to a partially intact building.
It wasn't tall, and it was damaged, but thanks to Anna, most of the Honkai beasts and zombies in the vicinity had been drawn away, making it a safe enough hiding spot for now.
"Shwa! Shwa!"
Newly equipped, Anna carefully lifted the child and handed her to Lin Wei. She jumped from the aircraft, swiftly and efficiently eliminating the remaining zombies on the nearby floors before returning to his side.
"Good work." Lin Wei found a relatively intact room and gently placed the child on a bed.
"I'll wait outside!" Understanding what he was about to do, Anna turned to leave, just as she had on Coral Island. Although curious about his secret, she wouldn't pry. She knew he had his reasons.
"Wait, Anna." He stopped her. With a mixture of sincerity and resignation, he said, "There's no point hiding it anymore…"
"Huh?" Surprise and a creeping sense of unease warred within her. She instinctively felt that this "secret" would change her life forever.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this…" He placed a hand over his chest and sighed. "To be able to say that so casually… I really am a scoundrel."
A faint light flickered. Anna watched in disbelief as a black mist coiled around his hand, solidifying into a shape she knew all too well.
"Black Abyss White Flower?" she gasped, staring at the black lance in his hand. "How… how did you get it?"
Although it wasn't the familiar pristine white, she recognized the ornate weapon instantly. It even bore the Schariac family crest! A black lily, radiating a deep, mysterious aura, much like the man who held it.
"It's not the real Black Abyss," he explained, extending the lance. The tip glowed faintly, and a single drop of ethereal dew materialized, falling onto the child's parched lips. "You know the true Divine Key is with Durandal. Do you think she would entrust something so important to another?"
"But…" Anna pointed at the child, whose lips were regaining their color at a visible rate. Her mind raced, struggling to process what she was seeing. The Black Abyss White Flower… its significance to a Schariac like her was immense.
"Alright. It's story time. I need a break anyway." He dismissed the projected lance and pulled up a chair, sinking into it. He met her gaze directly. "Now, let me tell you a story…"