Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

There's an old saying: "Misfortune never comes singly." It's a sentiment that evokes both sympathy and a bitter irony.

In a world ravaged by Honkai, this saying takes on an even more cruel and twisted meaning.

Those who have suffered misfortune, those whose hearts are burdened by pain and struggle, are the most likely to be chosen as Herrschers – with the exception of those like Wendy, whose exceptional talent and physique made them suitable for forced Herrscher conversion.

This almost feels like the work of some cosmic prankster, a cruel joke played on humanity. This bizarre selection process is unique to the current civilization, entirely different from the Herrschers of the Previous Era.

Based on the only two named Herrschers of the Previous Era besides Elysia – HIMEKO and RIN – their Herrscher system seemed entirely random.

HIMEKO was content and well-adjusted. As for RIN, her suffering began after becoming a Herrscher.

Before that, she was well cared for by her sister, and Kalpas's grief and rage after her death suggest she was deeply loved.

Kalpas rarely lost control. Before RIN, the only other person to evoke such a reaction from him was IMER. After RIN, it was only during the Herrscher of Corruption incident in the Elysian Realm, when he embarked on a solo mission to clear Sakura's name.

As for Raiden Mei… well, she brought that on herself.

Furthermore, during the Herrscher of Legions incident, the individuals chosen as Herrscher hosts included not only Mobius's assistant, Klein, but also a high-ranking member of Fire Moth.

Such a thing would be unthinkable in the current era. Imagine a high-ranking member of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, or World Serpent suddenly becoming a Herrscher. Unbelievable, right?

What, you say Welt? That's different!

In short, the current civilization's Herrscher selection follows a completely different set of rules – one that can be observed, even manipulated. In the original timeline, Otto had exploited this mechanism to lure and capture the core of the Herrscher of Domination.

In a way, this could be considered… a weakness of the Honkai, intentionally implanted by the Previous Era? Lin Wei mused. That's a bold move.

If so, whose idea was it? This… interesting selection process… could it have been Vill-V?

It does seem like something she'd do, with her penchant for chaos…

He looked at the little girl Anna had rescued. In his eyes, she was the perfect Herrscher candidate. She had lost everything, endured unimaginable pain and suffering. Even if she survived, she would be haunted by loneliness and nightmares for the rest of her life.

She was already halfway there.

All it would take was a little push, a nudge in the wrong direction, and this seemingly harmless child could become another Sirin.

If he wanted to, he could even orchestrate it himself. Creating a Herrscher under controlled conditions might limit the scope of a potential disaster, saving countless lives.

The price? Just a gentle push…

Sacrificing one child to potentially save a city of millions… it seemed like a worthwhile trade, didn't it?

For a fleeting moment, the thought tempted him, a whisper in the back of his mind.

Then, he ruthlessly suppressed it, refusing to even entertain the idea.

If this world can only be saved by sacrificing an innocent child, then it's a world not worth saving.

No one's suffering was justifiable. No one had the right to rob another of their chance at happiness.

Everyone was human, equal in their vulnerability. Who was he to decide who lived and who died?

The potential victims of a future Honkai eruption were innocent, yes. But wasn't this little girl, who had already lost everything, equally innocent?

Why should she pay the price for a hypothetical future?

Defeating Herrschers, fighting the Honkai – that was the responsibility of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, World Serpent, those who held humanity's fate in their hands. It was even his responsibility now.

It was not the burden a child should bear.

He would give her back what she deserved.

"Wenwen, do you have any other family in the city? Like a brother or sister?" he asked gently, pushing aside the dark thoughts. "If you do, Anna and I can help you find them. We might still be in time."

Having experienced similar loss in his childhood, he knew that for a child, the hope of finding a surviving relative could be enough to rekindle their will to live.

That hope was the only gift he could offer her, a blessing – just as someone had done for him, and as he had done for others in the past.

"Really…?" The little girl stared at him, as if unable to comprehend his words. Then, her eyes lit up, and she burst into tears again. "Can you… really take me to my brother?" She clutched her clothes tightly, as if afraid he would take back his offer.

"Lin Wei…" Anna whispered, her expression troubled. She shook her head slightly, silently urging him to reconsider. It's pointless. The chances of a civilian surviving alone are too low. They won't find him.

In her eyes, offering false hope would only lead to greater disappointment and pain.

But Lin Wei ignored her warning, gently wiping away the girl's tears. "Of course. Grown-ups shouldn't lie to children." He paused, then feigned a troubled expression. "But I can't find him on my own. Do you know where your brother is, Wenwen?"

He knew that if this little girl was Chen Tianwen, then her brother, Chen Tianwu, was somewhere in the ruins of Manila, struggling to survive. He didn't believe in coincidences.

In fact, her presence was proof that Anna's fate had been altered. That alone was enough reason to help her.

"Yes! I know! I know!" The little girl's eyes sparkled with renewed hope. "My brother goes to university in Singapore. He's working part-time to earn tuition. I begged him to take me there a few days ago! He's… he's… he's…"

Her excitement faded as she struggled to recall the exact location. She remembered being there, knew the general area, but specifics like street names, building numbers, and apartment numbers were beyond her grasp.

"Waaah… I don't remember!" She burst into tears again, frustrated. "I know where he is… I really do!" She was terrified of losing this newfound hope.

"Lin Wei, look what you've done…" Anna sighed, seeing the child's distress. She couldn't blame him for his good intentions, but she felt he'd made things worse. "Wenwen, why didn't you mention this before?" she asked gently, trying to distract her.

"Anna…" the little girl sobbed, turning to her. "I… I knew you were already working so hard to protect me from all those monsters… I didn't want to… to be a burden…"

"Thank you, Wenwen…" Anna's heart melted. She turned to Lin Wei, pleading with her eyes. "Can you… do something?"

He gave her a look. You change your mind pretty quickly, don't you?

Anna looked away, embarrassed.

These siblings are quite alike in some ways… Lin Wei thought, stroking the little girl's head.

In the original timeline, when Anna had rescued Chen Tianwu from the rubble, he'd hidden his worry for his sister, even offering Anna encouragement and jokes.

Only after reaching safety had he shown her a photo of his sister, his voice filled with hesitant hope. And when Anna had refused, he hadn't blamed her, accepting the harsh reality with quiet sorrow.

Lin Wei had a surprisingly positive impression of the Chen Tianwu he'd never met.

"Don't worry, Wenwen. We'll figure something out." He knew it was unreasonable to expect a child to provide precise coordinates. "If we start from the hospital you were at, can you find your way home?"

The little girl thought hard, knowing this was her last chance. She nodded hesitantly. "Yes…"

"Good girl, Wenwen!" He praised her, ruffling her hair. "And from your home, can you find your way to your brother's workplace?"

"Yes!" This time, she was more confident. She'd been to her brother's workplace several times. It wasn't far from home.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" He stood up, adjusted the aircraft's course, and flew back towards the hospital. "We'll rely on our little guide to lead the way!"

......

"Am I dying?" Chen Tianwu murmured, trapped beneath the rubble.

He pushed against the debris above him, but the layers of concrete and twisted metal remained unyielding.

How did those monsters destroy such sturdy structures so easily? he wondered, trying to find some humor in his desperate situation.

This place was like a tomb.

Perhaps… when the air runs out, I'll finally be free…

"Dad, Mom, Wenwen… are they alright?" He thought of his family, his heart filled with despair and regret. "They must be so worried…"

The thought spurred him to try again, pushing against the heavy "lid" of his concrete coffin.

"Ugh… ah!" He failed, of course. Dust and debris rained down, making it even harder to breathe.

"Cough, cough, cough!" He choked, feeling his strength ebbing away. Is there really no way out?

He lay back, defeated. Even if he escaped, what then? The outside world was filled with monsters.

He thought of the horrors he'd witnessed, the creatures roaming the streets. Are Mom and Dad… still alive?

He couldn't find a reason to keep fighting.

It had all happened so fast.

The sudden overcast sky, the violent earthquake…

He'd been at his computer, writing code.

"Earthquake! Run!"

Despite his gentle appearance, his mind was sharp. He'd yelled a warning, grabbed his stunned colleague, and ran. They'd barely made it out before the building collapsed, watching in horror as dust and debris filled the air.

But that was just the beginning.

Before he could catch his breath, panic erupted in the streets. He heard screams, explosions drawing closer.

Is it a war? He broke out in a cold sweat, scanning his surroundings. He spotted a building that had miraculously survived the earthquake and, without hesitation, pulled his colleague towards it.

If it's a bombing, it's safer inside, he reasoned.

Seeing them run, others followed, a panicked stampede towards the building. He was almost crushed in the crowd.

Then, a deafening explosion ripped through the street, leaving carnage in its wake. Windows shattered, and the shockwave sent a wave of nausea through him.

Those who had sought shelter near gas pipes were caught in secondary explosions, torn apart by flying debris.

He'd been lucky. Unable to reach the seemingly safer inner rooms, he'd been pushed into the main hall with the majority of the crowd, narrowly avoiding the carnage.

It was a grimly ironic twist of fate.

The realization that even sheltering inside wasn't safe amplified the panic. Fear spread like wildfire, turning into chaos.

Everyone surged outwards again, and he and his colleague were swept along with the tide.

The explosions had stopped, moving further away. They were safe for now, but they stood amidst a scene of utter devastation, surrounded by the dead and dying, their cries echoing through the air. His blood ran cold.

What happened?

His mind was blank, only one thought remaining: Are Mom, Dad, and Wenwen safe?

The thought drove him to near madness. He fumbled for his phone, but couldn't get a signal.

I have to go home! He turned to run, forgetting that his parents were at the hospital picking up his sister. He was operating on pure instinct, driven by a single, primal urge: Go home…

He'd barely turned when he heard terrified screams from those trapped on the upper floors.

"Tsunami!"

Panic surged again, and people rushed back into the damaged building.

He tried to push against the current, desperate to reach his home, but his colleague grabbed him, pulling him back inside.

"Are you crazy?!"

His colleague was a young woman with a messy bun – you couldn't dictate that girls couldn't be programmers, just as you couldn't expect programmers to be fashionable.

They weren't close. He was just a summer intern. He'd grabbed the nearest person during the earthquake, and they'd clung to each other for comfort, neither letting go.

He couldn't refuse her, so he reluctantly followed her back into the building, his heart pounding with anxiety.

Time passed, and the dreaded tsunami didn't arrive. They were far enough inland that the waves, while large, couldn't reach them.

But the absence of a tsunami didn't mean they were safe.

A gust of wind swept through the shattered building, sending dust and debris swirling. He coughed, his eyes stinging.

"Cough, cough…" He shielded his mouth with his sleeve, then realized the sudden silence. What are the others doing?

Before he could react, he heard chilling growls, screams, then cries of pain.

"What are you doing? Stay away from me! Ah…"

What's happening now? The constant barrage of disasters was numbing.

He squinted, his eyes still stinging, and saw that the crowded hall was now eerily empty. He finally understood what the flying ash had been.

But he didn't have time to dwell on it. Chaos had erupted around him.

People were attacking each other, tearing at flesh, their screams echoing through the hall. The victims were outnumbered, surrounded, with nowhere to escape.

This is hell! This is hell!

He saw several figures, their skin pale, their eyes blank, shuffling towards him, growling. A chill ran down his spine. He grabbed his colleague and tried to flee.

But she wouldn't budge.

Confused, he looked back, and his heart stopped.

His colleague's skin was ashen, her eyes blank and lifeless. She bared her teeth at him, a monstrous snarl twisting her lips.

"Ah!!!" He screamed, falling backwards, then scrambled to his feet, running from the creatures. He was cornered, trapped.

This is it… He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

"Boom!" Another explosion.

He opened his eyes, numbly watching as a crab larger than a shipping container, its claws the same pale white as the monstrous humans, smashed through the already weakened building, burying the carnage beneath tons of rubble.

What is happening to this world? he wondered before losing consciousness. Even nightmares weren't this terrifying.

He woke up trapped beneath the debris, unable to move.

"Help! Is anyone there?!" He yelled, but his cries were swallowed by the ruins.

He tried to move the debris, but it was too heavy.

Despair crept in as his strength faded.

"Am I dying?" He lay there, waiting for the air to run out. "Dad, Mom, Wenwen… I'm sorry…"

He whispered his goodbyes, his heart filled with loneliness and regret.

Or perhaps… this is how I return to them…

He drifted in and out of consciousness, waiting for the end.

After what felt like an eternity, he heard a faint sound in the distance.

The clash of battle, then the thud of something heavy hitting the ground. The impact dislodged some dust and debris, making him cough.

"I hear something!" a girl's voice called out. A few seconds later, a voice filled with excitement. "The life detector is pointing this way!"

Am I already dying? he wondered, his mind hazy. Why else would I be hallucinating rescuers?