Honkai Impact 3rd: Catching the Herrscher of Sentience at the Start

"Answer honestly, and I won't do anything to you." Kiana probably doesn't know that Fu Lin is still alive yet… does that mean I still have a chance…?

(Kiana, who already met Fu Lin in the Theater of Domination: Guess whether I know or not?)

Feeling the cold touch of the blade against his neck, Fu Lin looked at Mei in disbelief. But seeing that she was serious, he instinctively answered before quickly changing his words.

"I choose Fu Sh… Kiana."

Meanwhile, Elysia, who was leisurely watching from a distance, smiled and said, "Mei is such a bad girl."

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Mei touched her chest and took a deep breath, "Phew! Calm down, stay composed, Mei, you can do this."

"The advantage is mine now. As long as I take down Fu Lin during this time, it'll be over."

Mei retracted her sword, a smirk appearing on her lips. Although she felt a bit jealous, the future was still uncertain. Who could say for sure? Right, Kiana?

(Yandere Kiana: You're right!)

After thinking it through, Mei asked again, "Then how can you prove that you're Fu Lin and not someone impersonating you?"

Fu Lin couldn't hold it in anymore.

"If you still don't believe me, then that question you just asked..."

Mei turned her head away guiltily, "Nothing, just a little curious."

Elysia walked over with light steps, chuckling beside Mei, "Mei, don't make things difficult for Fu Lin anymore. You already know the answer in your heart, don't you?"

Seeing that the mission hadn't been marked as complete, Fu Lin spoke again, "You still haven't told me how Kiana has been doing lately, Mei."

Mei shook her head, "I don't know."

"Ever since I joined World Serpent and took back the Gem of Conquest from Kiana's body, I haven't seen her again."

Fu Lin asked again: "What about before that?"

Mei said coldly, "I have the right not to answer." Like I'd tell you!

[Mission complete. Please wait for the next mission.]

"...This counts?"

Fu Lin nearly choked seeing the completion message. Then, noticing Mei's small hand hovering mid-air, he asked in confusion, "Mei... what are you trying to do?"

"Uh... ahem, nothing." Touch you.

Mei blushed and withdrew her hand. Looking at the soft gray cat ears atop Fu Lin's head, she instinctively wanted to reach out but held back.

Elysia leaned close to Mei's ear and whispered, "Mei, you want to touch those cat ears, don't you?"

"Actually, I've been tempted for a long time too. How about we team up?"

Feeling the warm breath at her ear, Mei glanced at Fu Lin's cat ears with longing. If this were before, she could touch them as much as she wanted, but now...

"What should I do?" Mei blurted out, only to realize what she had just said. Covering her face, she dared not look at Elysia.

Elysia pulled out a familiar megaphone from somewhere, flashing a mischievous grin, "Don't be shy~ Leave it to me."

Fu Lin, sensing something, saw the megaphone in Elysia's hand and raised an eyebrow, feeling an ominous premonition, "Hmm?"

Elysia, "Ah... I really want to touch his ears... I'm so curious, so curious!"

Fu Lin, "..." Wait, did I remember wrong? Wasn't it Mei's horns they wanted to touch?

Mei held her forehead, "...Elysia, when did you record that?"

Elysia playfully smiled, "When I first spotted Fu Lin."

Just as Fu Lin was doubting his memory, he felt the intense stares around him. Looking up, he saw no one else present and fixed his gaze on Mei and Elysia.

Covering himself, Fu Lin took a step back and said cautiously, "I don't think there's anything about me worth touching, right?"

"Besides, men and women should keep their distance. If you want to touch something, you can touch Mei's—"

Elysia wagged a finger and turned her gaze to Mei, "Nonono, I've already touched Mei's horns. They feel great. If I could touch them again, I wouldn't mind."

"Elysia!" Mei's face turned red. Weren't they supposed to be after Fu Lin's cat ears? How did the topic shift back to her horns?

Fu Lin, intrigued, also asked, "What do Mei's horns feel like?"

Elysia propped her chin up with a finger, vividly describing the sensation: "Hmm~ let me think... They're cool to the touch, and when you hold them, there's this tingling sensation..."

"And they're very sensitive. Back then, Mei—" Mei quickly covered Elysia's mouth, a spark of lightning flashing in her eyes, "Stop talking."

Fu Lin chuckled. Even if Elysia hadn't said it, he could already guess what had happened back then. He couldn't help but sigh, "Haha, I really want to touch them too."

Mei reverted to her Herrscher of Thunder form, blushing and fidgeting: "...If it's you, Fu Lin, I suppose it's not impossible."

"???" Fu Lin tilted his head, confused. Something felt off.

Elysia pouted and glared at Fu Lin. "So unfair! I had to go through so much just to touch them, but Mei agreed immediately just because you asked."

"I'm going to cry~"

[Mission triggered!]

[Stroke Raiden Mei's horns for one minute.]

Hearing the system's task, Fu Lin's eyes burned as he stared at Mei's horns. He slowly reached out, confirming once more, "Really?"

Mei suddenly changed her demeanor, smirking slightly as she crossed her arms and looked at Fu Lin, "Nope."

Fu Lin stared blankly at the mischievous Mei—he had already gotten ready to touch her horns, and now she was telling him no.