Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

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By the time Fu Hua arrived, Ana and Rita had been waiting for quite some time. After all, flying is faster than running.

"Fu Hua! Over here!"

Spotting Fu Hua's figure, Ana waved and called out to her with a smile returning to her face, as if nothing unusual had occurred.

Naturally, Fu Hua didn't notice anything amiss and nodded before walking over.

Ana stood casually, leaning against the wall, appearing relaxed. Meanwhile, Rita, holding a broom nearby, diligently swept the area, seemingly putting on a show but actually working earnestly.

Surrounding them was a pile of Honkai Beast debris, indicating that they had engaged in a fierce battle before Fu Hua arrived.

However, for S-rank Valkyries, such battles were child's play. These Honkai Beasts were merely ordinary low-tier ones.

As Fu Hua approached, Rita paused her cleaning and performed a maid's bow towards her.

"Welcome back, Lady Fu Hua."

"You must be exhausted from battling the Arbiter Rank Honkai Beast. Would you like to sit down and have some tea?"

"Wahh, Rita, I want one too!" Seeing Rita's gesture, Ana felt slightly disgruntled and promptly protested, jokingly exclaiming: "Seriously?! It's not fair; even though I haven't been back to Schicksal Headquarters for ages, why don't I get a maid's welcome from you? So jealous!"

"Lady Ana, please don't be silly," Rita responded with a smile, though a hint of exasperation showed on her face. Ana's behavior was clearly due to being overly indulged and required some proper guidance—but at this moment, circumstances didn't allow for it.

"Hmph, if you won't pamper me, I'll ignore you!" Ana crossed her arms, turning away from Rita intentionally.

Feeling helpless, Rita knew they had a close relationship, but logically, she shouldn't indulge Ana's whims. The issue was that as Durandal's adjutant, in terms of rank, Ana stood equal to Durandal herself. Although not directly above her, Ana was indeed Rita's superior.

Moreover, they were currently on a mission, and Ana's mischief could pose problems. With no other choice, Rita decided to humor her first.

Watching their interaction, Fu Hua remained silent, knowing when to speak up and when to keep quiet—even though she still had many questions.

"Seriously, I'm the one who defeated that Honkai Beast."

In no time, Rita set up a table and sun umbrella, brewing a pot of tea for Ana. As she sipped her beverage from a chair, Ana still grumbled with dissatisfaction.

"Yes, yes, Lady Ana has been working so hard." Standing beside Ana, Rita smiled indulgently, treating her like a child needing comfort, with affection shining in her eyes.

"Why are you here alone? Where's Durandal?" Fu Hua picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, then slowly placed it down. Although she had lived in England for some time, she preferred green tea over black tea. Sweetened black tea lacked the distinct flavor unique to tea leaves.

"Lady Durandal has already received orders to lead a force against the Honkai Beasts invading Headquarters."

"What?! Bianka went out without me?!" Ana put down her red tea, clearly displeased. To be fair, Durandal did try calling for Ana, but by then, Ana had already rushed off to find Fu Hua, unable to make it back in time.

But there's no way she could be blamed for this situation!

"How rare! She actually didn't bring you along." Fu Hua chuckled lightly, without any hidden meaning behind her words.

"Although I'm quite concerned about Lady Durandal's well-being..." Rita glanced at Ana with a slightly exasperated expression, as if saying, See, Commander Fu, surely you understand what I mean.

Fu Hua nodded in agreement, just as Rita continued, "However, this mission is exceptional. The Lord Bishop ordered me to await your arrival here and assist you in completing it."

Yes, Ana's stubbornness was reserved only for Rita, reflecting their close bond. In reality, Ana wasn't truly obstinate; she had a gentle nature and rarely displayed temper.

Rita's presence here was solely to accompany Fu Hua on a mission assigned by Otto.

"There's no need," Fu Hua promptly declined. Given her prowess, regardless of the task, she never required assistance from others. Moreover, she had no habit of undertaking missions with company.

Currently, the person with whom she most frequently partnered on missions was none other than Ana, who now sipped her tea contentedly beside them. Although, their tasks often didn't require much coordination.

Moreover, Fu Hua had already vaguely guessed the nature of this mission mentioned by Rita.

"This is part of my duties, Commander Fu. I hope you can understand," Rita responded gently without showing any annoyance. However, the clarity in her words made it evident that she must accompany Fu Hua on this assignment.

"Alright, what's the mission?"

After a brief moment of silence, Fu Hua's expression conveyed to Rita a sense of mild frustration yet resignation. She understood Rita's predicament and wished to avoid unnecessary conflict with Otto.

"Lady Theresa of the Far East Branch has led Anti-Entropy forces to seize control of the Third Port. The bishop wishes for us to help calm the situation."

This mission aligns with Ana's expectations; or rather, her presence here was solely to await this very task.

Fu Hua's expression remained unchanged; it was clear she had anticipated this outcome. Upon returning to Headquarters, she already knew about Anti-Entropy's occupation of Third Port.

"I understand," Fu Hua acknowledged. After a brief pause, she continued, "However, I have one condition: No harm must come to them."

"Rest assured, Bishop also wishes for Lady Theresa and her subordinates not to be injured."

In terms of managing emotions, Rita was undeniably skilled. Her voice sounded genuinely concerned for Theresa, but Fu Hua wasn't convinced. Having known Rita well, she understood that Rita would employ any means necessary to achieve her mission objectives.

"Let's proceed then!" Fu Hua said mildly, though she disliked this assignment, there was no way to decline. She resolved to find a swift resolution.

"It is my honor to assist you, Commander Fu."

"Hmm, count me in too!" Ana raised her hand and exclaimed loudly, determined not to miss out on such involvement.

"No problem, Lady Ana. The bishop mentioned allowing your participation in this mission as well," Rita replied with a smile.

Ana nodded silently, her eyes gleaming. She realized this task might be Otto's final test for her, perhaps even a crucial one. If it weren't significant, he likely wouldn't have included Rita in the expedition. But what did it matter? Regardless, she...