"Honkai energy is so useful," Chen Luo couldn't help but marvel.
With each arrow he fired, the already powerful Anemo-infused projectiles now packed even greater force—faster, deadlier, and even triggering small explosions on impact.
Chen Luo's Honkai energy adaptability had reached 110.5%, and his Vision was 99% assimilated by Honkai energy. Naturally, he could now wield it without restraint.
As the Herrscher of Sentience put it: "With your Honkai resistance, it'd be a waste not to become a Herrscher."
Still perched on Project Bunny's palm, Chen Luo soared through the sky, sniping zombies and Honkai beasts below with ruthless efficiency.
His arrows absorbed ambient Honkai energy mid-flight, amplifying their destructive power.
In a city like Nagazora, saturated with Honkai energy, his bow had become a lawnmower.
The group was nearing the TV station now, their original destination.
The Emperor class Honkai beast had blocked their path precisely because it was too close to the station—detouring around it would've taken forever.
As the building loomed ahead, Project Bunny began descending.
If they wanted to enter, they'd have to go through the front door like normal people.
Given its location in a densely populated area, the station was crawling with zombies. Though most were picked off by Chen Luo's aerial sniping, Mei and Kiana handled the stragglers he missed.
Since kills by them would split half the rewards to him, Chen Luo didn't mind.
There's no way I could clear this city alone anyway.
The team regrouped on the ground.
"Let's move," Chen Luo said at the station's entrance, stowing his bow and drawing a spear instead.
In tight indoor spaces, melee weapons were far more practical.
Though the Dull Blade would've been ideal—but Raiden Mei was currently wielding it.
Chen Luo had noticed it still gained proficiency when others used it, so he'd let her keep it.
Alongside the spear, he also carried a handgun—a silver Desert Eagle.
Chen Luo didn't know why Liu Wenxuan had such a fetish for this model when more powerful and practical options existed.
Yet among all modified firearms, this one was inexplicably the strongest.
Maybe it's a man's romance thing?
Chen Luo was proficient in both melee and firearms.
And for close-quarters combat? Nothing beat the visceral satisfaction of a .50 AE round to the face.
The moment they stepped inside, dozens of steel mechs descended silently from the sky in the distance.
Chen Luo pulled out a device from his inventory—a communicator—and made a call while keeping his gun ready.
"Testing, testing—can you hear me?" After strapping the communicator to his left arm, he dialed its sole saved number.
The screen flickered to life, displaying... half a head.
"Theresa, you're too short. Your face isn't even in frame."
Yes, he was calling Theresa.
Since this was technically a mission, they'd prearranged a meeting protocol—with the communicator as the primary method.
Also, Schicksal's tech was insane. Holographic displays? 20 years ahead of the world.
"Who're you calling short?! And Chen Luo—didn't you say my niece might be in Nagazora? The city just had its third Honkai eruption—"
As Theresa adjusted the angle, her face finally appeared fully.
"Yep. I'm here now, and I found her. Kiana, say hi." Chen Luo beckoned the white-haired girl over.
"Huh?" Kiana glanced at him as he tilted the screen toward her.
"It's really Kiana?! You look just like your mother!" Theresa gasped.
"So you're the 'little auntie' A'Luo mentioned?" Kiana eyed the petite girl skeptically.
Isn't she too young.
"Little?! What little auntie! I'm your big auntie! I even held you as a baby!" Theresa huffed, hands on hips.
"A'Luo, where are you? I'll dispatch the Hyperion immediately. It just so happens that Himeko is already heading there. Also, Nagazora seems to have spawned a Herrscher. Be extremely careful. They're very powerful" Theresa asked quickly, expressing her concern for them.
"We're at the TV tower, heading upward. As for the Herrscher... don't worry, it's handled. You know how good I am at running away."
"...That's true. Wait—hold on. You have the bar, don't you? Why not just send them there? I'll meet them inside and leave, right." Theresa suddenly thought.
"Problem: How do you explain suddenly acquiring a niece? Not to mention her two very alive best friends here. You really wanna abandon them?" Chen Luo rolled his eyes at Theresa.
Also, imagine the chaos if a Herrscher randomly appeared at St. Freya. Even with ten mouths, Theresa couldn't talk her way out of that.
"...Right. Good point."
"Just tell Himeko to pick us up at the tower. We'll help Kiana broadcast a citywide message for Siegfried, then leave." Chen Luo hung up before Theresa could rant about Siegfried.
She hated the man, always calling him a "deadbeat dad."
"A'Luo... that child is really my auntie?" Kiana asked incredulously. She looked like a 12 year old girl.
"What little girl? She's over 30. And when have I ever lied to you?"
"Then what was that 'bar' she mentioned?" Mei asked curiously.
"A very special place. Explaining would take forever, so I will tell you later. For now, let's focus on not dying first."
Chen Luo punctuated this by putting a bullet through a zombie's skull as it rounded the corner.
After Chen Luo's archery display and call with Theresa, Cocolia—who had heard everything through Bronya's feed—silently ordered all mechs to conceal themselves.
Now was not the time for a direct clash with Schicksal.
Especially when they had the Hyperion on standby.
If it came to open conflict, Anti-Entropy's remaining forces in Nagazora stood no chance against Schicksal, armed with the Hyperion.
Yet Chen Luo's existence made Cocolia grind her teeth.
An otherworldly traveler...
If possible, she refused to let this opportunity slip away.
But Schicksal was coming—and there was no telling if Theresa, one of their three S-rank Valkyries, would personally intervene.
A head-on fight was too risky.
Though the TV station was in a densely populated area, its interior was relatively empty. The group reached the broadcasting room without much delay.
"Bronya, come here." After Kiana and Mei entered, Chen Luo beckoned the silver-haired girl guarding the door.
"Hmm?" Though confused, Bronya trusted him enough to follow him to a corner.
Chen Luo leaned in and lightly tapped her forehead.
"Hey, hey, Cocolia, you there?"
Bronya's pupils constricted instantly.
"Bronya does not understand what you mean." she replied coldly.
"Not talking to you, I am talking to Cocolia. Cocolia, you listening? I want to join Anti-Entropy. If you don't show up, I'm defecting to Schicksal." He tapped her forehead again.
Cocolia had left a backdoor in Bronya's biochip—Chen Luo was certain she could hear him.
"Who are you?" As expected, Bronya's expression suddenly shifted, her voice now mechanical and detached.
"Me? Chen Luo, a traveler from another world. I want to join Anti-Entropy. Do we have a deal? If yes, I'll hand over the health-recovery food recipe and this grimoire's knowledge." He summoned a roast chicken and a magic tome.
"Why do you want to join Anti-Entropy?" 'Bronya' demanded.
"For the mech tech, obviously. I'm just passing through this world, and I'll be leaving soon. Do you think I'd join just to fight the Honkai?" Chen Luo rolled his eyes at 'Bronya'.
"Yet you're closely affiliated with Schicksal's Theresa. Your motives are suspect."
"Please. I'm not from this world—Schicksal and Anti-Entropy's drama means nothing to me. I just want the damn blueprints."
* * *
"Fine. But you'll be a probationary member. Only after delivering the recipe and knowledge will you gain full status."
In the end, Cocolia couldn't resist the lure of otherworldly knowledge.
For a radical like her, such intel was priceless.
And if Schicksal got it first...? Unthinkable.
[Ding! You have successfully joined the Anti-Entropy faction. All faction exchange options are now available.]
At the top of Anti-Entropy's exchange list was the Core of Reason.
Right below it? Silver Bullets, or nuclear warheads.
Yes, the options included that level of insanity.
This was also an experiment by Chen Luo.
How many Primogems and Crystals would nuking Nagazora yield?
Sadly, the damn thing cost 6,000 Crystals.
Secondly, he wasn't sure if the kills would count as his.
Thirdly, he didn't want to vaporize any survivors.
If he built one himself, the kills might register—but buying it? No guarantees.
"You... want to join Anti-Entropy?" Bronya's first question after regaining control.
"Yep, not only do I want to join Anti-Entropy. I want to join Schicksal, St. Freya, and World Serpent." Chen Luo admitted shamelessly.
"World Serpent? What's that?"
"An organization older than both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy that fights the Honkai. You wouldn't know, but Cocolia does." He waved it off.
"Then will you really give them the health restoring food recipe and otherworldly knowledge?"
"Hell no. I don't even know how to make Sweet Madames—how would I teach them? As for the knowledge? Over my dead body. Who knows what atrocities Cocolia would commit with it?" Chen Luo said bluntly
After all, Cocolia dared to manually trigger the third Impact. Chen Luo can give Otto the knowledge, but not Cocolia.
Chen Luo had zero concerns about Cocolia overhearing—in fact, he counted on it.
So what?
He was already an Anti-Entropy member. Kicking him out wasn't her call anymore—it was his.
The moment she filed his records into their intranet, the system recognized him.
Even if deleted, traces remained.
Cocolia couldn't purge him unilaterally.
She was just a tool! Why fear her?
I, Chen Luo, was born an Anti-Entropy member in life and in death!
Dissolve the organization? I'll still be its member!
Oh, and the same goes for Schicksal, St. Freya, and World Serpent.
Not even death shall part us!
"Shh! Hear that? Warship engines. So don't rage—it's pointless." Chen Luo clamped a hand over Bronya's mouth as her eyes flickered red (Cocolia's takeover signal) and pointed upward.
The roaring thrusters made her eyes revert to normal.
Fine. Retreat for now—but this isn't over, Chen Luo.