It was an unprecedented stroke of luck that three-quarters of the city's population had been safely evacuated after the Herrscher's birth. Excluding the Fourth Herrscher, whose target was Fire Moth from the start, the Fifth Herrscher's Honkai Energy influence spread beyond the city, and even though everyone was evacuated, one-fifth of the population still died from Honkai Energy and mutated zombies and Honkai Beasts.
The Second and Third Herrschers caused the death of nearly ten million people in a city upon their birth. The aftermath of the Third Herrscher in the Far East even reached Canghai City in Shenzhou, and the survivors in Canghai City, including Hua, were fewer than a hundred.
In the eyes of Fire Moth, and the people in the Fifth Branch Command Center, Lin and Sakura had exceeded their mission quota. Three-quarters of the population was a rare figure in the history of survivor lists.
High-Class Honkai Beasts and Herrschers rarely cooperate in battle, so no one knew the lethality of these two monsters at the pinnacle of Honkai organisms when truly united. But the Fifth Branch personnel knew that the remaining combat strength of Lin and Sakura already exceeded the value of the remaining one-quarter population in strategic terms.
No deliberation was needed. In a situation where continued fighting was clearly fatal, preserving combat strength to wait for support was the optimal solution.
"Lin, immediately withdraw to the Fifth Branch," Spaciel coldly commanded.
"Withdraw? What about the remaining people?" The first sentence Sakura heard after joining the communication channel was this command, which sounded somewhat absurd to her.
"The remaining people are also being evacuated. You are needed to preserve your combat strength. The Honkai Energy level in the city is rapidly increasing after the emergence of the High-Class Honkai Beast. The Fifth Branch may also come under attack. If you sacrifice yourselves, it will only result in no one protecting the Fifth Branch and preventing unforeseen circumstances before support arrives."
"Don't worry. Based on data observation of Herrschers, almost all Herrschers undergo an adaptation period within 24 hours of birth. They stay in one location to adapt to their Authority."
Fire MOTH "ecological research" on Herrschers was derived from multiple data collections, so the intelligence Spaciel provided was sound.
However, just as Sakura was about to ask Lin for his opinion, he spoke into the communicator in a calm tone: "But High-Class Honkai Beasts do not have this habit, and the Herrscher's activity range within the first 24 hours is also not entirely certain."
"…Lin." Spaciel switched to a private channel. His voice was chilling. "To use a phrase Dr. Mei once said to describe the current situation, letting the people of greater value survive is the correct choice. Your survival allows more than that one-quarter of the population to be saved. Furthermore, even if you stay there, you cannot stop the High-Class Honkai Beast and the Herrscher."
"Do you believe it yourself? Can a cripple and a novice solve the problem of a Herrscher and a High-Class Honkai Beast? Have you forgotten how your current state was caused?"
"Haven't we already done enough by not alarming the Sixth Herrscher into releasing that black mist?"
The sun was setting. Lin stood in the quickly fading twilight. In his view, the city was being engulfed by the encroaching darkness. Even the tiny glow of fluorescent green in his eyes was merely insignificant starlight in the darkness, unable to illuminate it.
Protecting the Fifth Branch and preparing for the next subjugation battle was indeed the wiser choice. If the subjugation battle succeeded, more people would be spared the threat of the Honkai.
Was it for the sake of that one-quarter of the population, or for the greater number of people outside the city?
In a mere breath, Lin made his choice.
Every time, he faced a choice, and every time, he gave the same answer.
This time was no exception.
"Sakura, you retreat back to protect the Fifth Branch."
"…"
Lin casually snapped his crutch, tying the bottom half to his severed leg to provide a makeshift support. He spoke to the grim-faced Sakura, whose emotions were indiscernible.
"Lin."
"Let the people of greater value survive. I have no value left. Nothing." Lin looked up, seemingly talking to himself as the sun vanished from the sky and darkness descended upon the land. "I have no status or connections in ordinary human society. In Fire Moth, I have lost the ability to fight as a soldier. This body will also completely die in a few hours. So my value in this world has vanished."
Lin looked down at the expressionless Spaciel on the screen, turned his face, and reached up to pull down the eyelid of his right eye, exposing the empty socket: "Do you understand, Dr. Spaciel? This eye can no longer see anything."
Black, deep, and empty.
He could see neither his past nor his future.
In other words, he no longer possessed the value Spaciel spoke of, which warranted sacrificing others for his survival.
Abandoning the lives of one-quarter of the population was merely a number in a loss report for Fire Moth. Compared to the survival of humanity as a whole, they were insignificant, less valuable than even a single researcher at the headquarters.
But to themselves, their lives were their everything.
"I am withdrawing from Fire Moth here. All subsequent actions are solely of my own personal will."
Lin joined Fire Moth to protect humanity, and now, he would withdraw from Fire Moth to protect humanity.
"Dr. Spaciel…" Some people in the command room couldn't help but call out to the expressionless Spaciel, but he raised his hand, signaling them to continue their work.
He said nothing more, only cutting off Lin's communication and saying to Sakura: "Special Operations Unit 'Cocoon of Corruption,' immediately return to the Fifth Branch to execute the guard mission."
"…"
Sakura opened her mouth, intending to say something to Lin, but it ultimately turned into a heavy sigh.
"Thank you…"
"What?"
"Thank you for agreeing to the deal with Dr. Mei."
Lin stood with effort, watching the back of the quickly departing Sakura. He took out all the remaining medicine.
Staring at the fluorescent green liquid swirling in the syringe, he felt as if he were back in Nagazora, on that stormy night.
Nothing had changed. He was alone then, and he was alone now.
If defined by value, he was indeed worthless at this moment, like a small, dim firefly in the dark night. He could illuminate no one, much less light up this pitch-black night.
But for now, that was enough. To allow this useless body to fulfill its final mission, to achieve the initial promise.
Even if it was just a firefly that could be extinguished at any moment, he believed it could light the path for someone else. They would follow this path forward, reaching the shore he failed to reach.
He questioned his heart and found that he had never wavered.
Not because of some so-called modification, but because of his heartfelt principles.
Perhaps that was enough.
"Tear—"
The man ripped the bandage from his face, plunged all the syringes into his neck, and looked up, keeping his sole remaining eye wide open. That faint fluorescent green glowed inconspicuously in his pupil.
In the city descending into darkness, a person completed the final song of his life.