Chapter 70: Father, You...are Still So Merciful

[Under your guidance, Sakura saw the true appearance of Twilight Street, which was completely different from the "outside world"]

[It is peaceful and harmonious here, clean and tidy. No one litters anywhere. The streets are incredibly clean. The shops on the street are open as usual. Although a few shops have hung up signs saying they are closed for some reason, the remaining shops are all doing well. The goods inside are of good quality and low price. The bosses are enthusiastic and humble, chatting with customers from time to time.]

[And here, Sakura also saw how respected you are... No matter which store you pass by, the people inside, whether they are the boss or the customers, will greet you, and you will respond one by one, and you can even call out everyone's name accurately, and you can even specifically remind someone of a small problem that they missed due to carelessness.]

[For example, if someone has finished washing their clothes, you would remind them that it is time to go back and dry the clothes. The sunshine in the afternoon is just right, so they can take the clothes back in the evening. The person who heard your reminder would nod and thank you without hesitation, and quickly leave to go home, as if they believed in your words... This deep trust surprised Sakura.]

[And through some simple inquiries, Sakura also learned that the people living here have more or less similar patients in their families, perhaps because of "Honkai Disease", or because of something else, but no one here is troubled by livelihood. Although life is a little difficult, every family can survive.]

[Also, no one here seems depressed. Almost everyone has a look of longing for tomorrow on their face. This is completely different from the situation outside where people give up everything to survive and fight against Honkai, and even in this situation, the top leaders are still not united.]

[Sakura suddenly understood why those "leaders" described Twilight Street as a "Garden of Eden" to their subordinates. Compared with the chaotic situation in the outside world, Twilight Street at this moment is really a warm "Garden of Eden". Compared with the outside world, it is full of special "human touch". You can clearly feel the care from others, even if they are not familiar with each other.]

[Especially in the evening, when the light of dusk shines on the street, it is like a golden stream coming from the sky and slowly covering the entire street. The beautiful scene is truly worthy of the name "Twilight Street"]

[Sakura was a little dazed for a moment, and subconsciously sighed that if there was no Honkai and Twilight Street was not a "place of chaos", this place would definitely become a tourist destination.]

[But this thought and feeling only stopped there, because she had seen the situation outside and knew that the peace here was exchanged for the suffering of more people outside, and those "leaders" would exploit others without hesitation.]

[More importantly, she noticed that the "patients" in every household here...are all suffering from "Honkai Disease", and are all people who have been corroded by Honkai.]

[Not "Basic", but "All"]

[In other words, there are a huge number of "Honkai Energy Infection Sources" here, and when so many infection sources gather together, Honkai will inevitably occur. This is a nearly inevitable law summarized by the Fire Moth.]

[But what's strange about Sakura is... According to the information you told her, the number of these patients had already reached the number that Fire Moth estimated would cause the Honkai two months ago. Logically speaking, if the Honkai eruption was really going to break out, it should have happened here two months ago.]

[But now there is nothing. Twilight Street is still so peaceful and harmonious. Even in the past two months, you and Aponia have received many extra patients, but there is still no Honkai outbreak here... This is really too strange.]

[It's like a bug that went wrong, but it just happens to work, and it runs smoothly. Others don't know how this thing works.]

[However, Sakura would not think so much, nor could she think so much. She was just a "knife" that carried out the mission - she already knew what she should do.]

[But before that, she needs to get out of your sight first... After observing you for a while, she believes that you are negotiable and suitable for bringing back to the Fire Moth, so she plans to get out of your sight, complete other tasks, and then bring you back.]

[Late at night is a good choice. Everyone will go home to rest, including you. At this time, Sakura can take advantage of the night to leave and carry out the mission under the cover of night. This is the best scene for her as a "killer" and a "knife"... and giving others death in their sleep so that they don't have to endure extra pain is also a little mercy she can give to everyone.]

[So she calmed down a little, made up her mind, and followed you back to the church, waiting for the night to fall.]

[You seemed unaware of her decision, and politely let her rest in the church for a while, and quickly prepared a dinner for her.]

[Sakura didn't refuse. She was just wondering why you served her a "Sakura Bun" and a bunch of cherry blossoms at the end. She was even a little curious about where you learned and got them. After all, Sakura Bun and cherry blossoms are things from her hometown, and they shouldn't be available here.]

[And your answer surprised her even more... You said that it was "She" who told you that she would like these two things, so you prepared in advance.]

[This somewhat frightened Sakura. After all, you and she had never met before. However, this "prophecy"-like situation still made her feel terrified, and she secretly became more alert to you.]

[But what she didn't tell you is that her first reaction upon receiving these two things was happiness, a joy that came from deep within her heart, as if receiving these two things was something that was worth being happy about and was natural… However, precisely because of this inexplicable emotion, Sakura quickly reacted and became much more alert to you. Although her facial expression did not change, you could sense that she was looking at you with a deep sense of caution and vigilance.]

[She seemed to have misunderstood something, but you didn't care because you noticed that when she received these two things, the pair of slender ears disguised as headdresses on her head trembled slightly and unconsciously.]

['She should be happy'—you think so]

[Although you are wondering why you can tell her mood from the expression of her strange animal ears, you don't care too much, as if it is a matter of course... and you subconsciously think that it is better not to mention the matter of "ears" to her at this time.]

[ 'Why do I know her well?' — You strangely thought to yourself.]

[But you finally suppressed all these thoughts, because the disaster that will destroy this place is about to come, and you need to do more things.]

[Puchi...haha...]

[You seem to hear 'Her' faint laughter again. You feel puzzled, but 'She' still does not intend to explain.]

[You suppress your doubts for the time being and wait silently.]

[Then, the night fell...]

Crash——

Outside, it was raining heavily. The night wind mixed with rain made the surroundings cold, but inside the house, it was warm and comfortable.

[Sakura silently put down the package she was carrying, untied it, took out the knife inside, glanced at the heavy rain outside, and was speechless for a moment.]

"What the priest said was actually true... it actually rained heavily this night..."

Sakura whispered to herself unconsciously, it seems that the people here have no problem regarding the priest as a "human weather forecast", and... after a day of experiencing all kinds of strange things, Sakura is no longer surprised by this.

However, the heavy rain could not stop her actions. Sakura opened the window, and rain and night wind poured into the room. Sakura ignored them and just took silent steps and left the window with a light leap. Her figure sank into the rain and soon disappeared.

But... when Sakura arrived at her first target location and walked into the room silently, she noticed something unusual - someone was there, and was obviously waiting for her.

More importantly, an inexplicable burning sensation came from her body, especially her legs, where the feeling was particularly strong.

Although she had expected it, the burning sensation was too sudden and too intense, causing Sakura to stagger for a moment and make a slight noise.

So this is the "punishment" for breaking the [rules]... and it's actually effective on fusion warriors as well. It seems that the abnormality of the priest is even more exaggerated than imagined.

Sakura calmed herself down, and then looked not far away, at a man who was sitting on the ground in a very weird and indecent posture.

He was wearing a strange mask that was slightly delicate yet somewhat worn, so his expression could not be seen clearly. However, Sakura could feel the slightly crazy aura and... endless fighting spirit emanating from him.

"Haha... haha... hahahaha!!! Are you here? Very good! It seems that the priest was right. If it were you, you might be able to satisfy me... As expected, he is much more likable than that woman!"

"...The priest asked you to come?"

Sakura took a defensive posture and asked softly... It was really strange. She felt a threat from this man again, a threat like a beast. Is Twilight Street a gathering place for talents? Why are there so many abnormal people?

"Of course, that guy knew you were coming and asked me to wait for you here... Humph! If he hadn't considered this battle enough to satisfy me, how could he have commanded me?!"

"Okay... let's put aside those boring negotiations! Let's have a good enough fight! A fight that can only stop when one side falls...!!!"

After saying that, he rushed forward and punched Sakura in the face.

Sakura also dodged. She had already sensed that she couldn't take this man's punch head-on.

He took advantage of the situation and continued to oppress Sakura with his continuous attacks, forcing her into the heavy rain outside.

"...Um?"

Sakura, standing still in the rain, noticed that the burning sensation on her body was gradually easing... So that's how it is, can the "punishment" be alleviated if she just leaves?

"Hahahaha... Not bad! Not bad! Come on! Keep going!"

But at this moment, Sakura couldn't care about too many things and could only concentrate on fighting him.

And under the heavy rain, the battle between the two "Inhumans"... I'm afraid it will last for a very long time.

......

.........

"......"

What Sakura didn't know was that when she left, a pair of eyes were watching her figure disappear into the rain. Then Nozomi wordlessly opened the umbrella, walked out of the church, and walked silently in the heavy rain.

The raindrops fell on the umbrella, making crackling sounds. The environment outside the umbrella was chilled by the rain, but inside the umbrella, around Nozomi, it was warm, not scorching, but gentle, like the warm sun in winter.

Occasionally, the night breeze brought with it cool rain, gently brushing the back of his hand, wetting his clothes and fingertips, but he did not mind. He just slightly adjusted the things in his hands, freeing one hand, and stretched it out of the range of the umbrella to touch the rain falling from the sky, letting it gather in the palm of his hand and flow away between his fingers.

Just like he said before, he liked rainy days. The cool and humid environment made him happy. He didn't even know if it was because the rain could sense his liking for it. He could occasionally sense the emotions coming from the water... For example, now, it was expressing its concern and inquiries to him.

It was concerned about whether it was living well on the "land" and whether it wanted to "go home". It was very worried about itself and asked itself why it had the scent of "fire" on its body. Although it was not dry, the warm feeling did not match the coldness of the water.

But Nozomi did not respond to all this. He just withdrew his hand indifferently, held the umbrella, and walked silently towards his destination.

After a while, Nozomi arrived in front of a small building. When he walked in, he could see people infected by Honkai disease one after another... They were all patients with "Honkai Disease" and were about to die.

"Father..."

Seeing Nozomi coming, those who were still able to move hurriedly stood up and wanted to go forward to greet him, but were stopped by Nozomi in the end.

"Please don't move that yet."

Nozomi spoke softly, with a hint of sadness in his tone, but his words were still steady and clear.

"I... am not worthy of you doing this."

Nozomi put the rain-stained umbrella aside and said so.

"No, how could that be? Father, you have given us a place to live and allowed us to continue our lives. We should thank you."

A patient lying on the bed said with a smile... Purple lines had already spread to his neck, and the "Honkai Disease" would soon take his life.

"No... I'm sorry, this place you all had high hopes for is about to be destroyed, and I gave you false hope... This is my fault."

"Please don't say that, Father."

Another person spoke... He had lost both of his legs, and even his upper body was covered with purple lines, but his mood at the moment was very stable, even a little relaxed.

"I know. I've seen it... People who are similar to us can't survive long after contracting this strange disease... Especially people like us."

He gestured around, at those patients who were similar to him and had extremely serious "Honkai Disease" conditions... If other doctors or people from the Fire Moth saw all this, they would probably be frightened, because their symptoms were already very serious, with purple lines either spreading to the chest or the neck, or even worse, purple lines had already appeared on their faces.

"Look... Father, we are destined to die. I have seen people who were in similar situations as us... They all went crazy, became monsters, or were taken away by a group of special people... We all know that those who were taken away were not given special treatments, but were killed directly. If left alone, people like us will become monsters and hurt more people."

"But here, we can live, retaining our consciousness as human beings. Even if it is hard, even if it is short, but... this is enough for us."

He said so.

"Yes, Father."

Another person said.

"I've had so much fun coming to your place for a few days...Everyone is so nice and speaks so well. I love it here!"

"Father, thank you for your care these past few days... Unfortunately, we have nothing to give back to you..."

"Father, where did you learn to cook? The food you cook is surprisingly delicious... Could it be that [She] taught you? [She] also knows this? [She] is surprisingly a very down-to-earth person..."

"Father..."

"Father..."

......

They talked a lot, their voices were relaxed and steady, and even their words were just expressions of their gratitude, but in the end... they all said that sentence -

"Father, please, please leave, leave here."

So they said, begged, and prayed.

"You should go quickly, to a safer place, a better place... You deserve better, and you should live, instead of staying here with us."

"No, I will stay here until the last moment."

Nozomi shook his head and refused.

"Father, please go away..."

"Just leave... please..."

"Father..."

......

They began to persuade him again, expressing their concern for Nozomi in their words, as if they did not care about their own lives which were bound to end.

But... as time went by, Nozomi could hear that their words were trembling and had a faint tone of crying.

Finally... someone couldn't hold it in any longer, and faint sobbing sounds were heard, which soon reached everyone's ears.

What followed was silence, and then... crying.

"I don't want to die... Father... I don't want to die..."

Nozomi saw someone next to him looking at him, crying helplessly… His body was still intact, but the purple lines had spread all over his body, and there were even some at the corners of his eyes. Therefore, he basically lost the perception of his entire body, and only his eyes and mouth could move, and he could only cry helplessly alone.

Warm tears flowed across skin that had long lost its sensitivity, dripped onto the bed, and left some water stains on the pillow.

Nozomi was speechless and could only hold him in his arms. He wiped away his tears with one hand and placed the other hand gently on his palm to give him some warmth...even though he could no longer feel it.

Yes... When you know you are going to die, who can not care? The gratitude to Nozomi and persuading Nozomi to leave was just because they didn't want Nozomi to see their embarrassing appearance...

He was clearly infected with an incurable disease at the beginning, and then he fled desperately, and after being exploited, he finally entered what others called the "Garden of Eden", but he unexpectedly discovered that he seemed to still have a way to survive here, and hope appeared in his originally desperate heart, but in the end... he found that this hope was just an illusion.

What a blow and what despair this was for them... Indeed, a "false hope" is worse than a "real despair".

"......"

Nozomi remained silent. All this was caused by him. It was he who gave everyone false hope, but in the face of the inevitable ending... any words he said seemed so powerless and pale.

But here, no one said bad things to Nozomi, and no one complained... because they all knew that they could live a few more days because of Nozomi's contribution and the "miracle" of this place. They couldn't and should not complain to Nozomi.

It is such a blasphemy to speak ill of the being who saved your life, and it goes against everyone's conscience.

Therefore, they just cried and vented their inner fear and anxiety.

After some time, the crying of the crowd gradually weakened. After a brief silence, the man held in Nozomi's arms spoke again.

"Father...I am guilty."

"I coveted life and tried to survive, abandoning my wife and children."

"I am...guilty."

"You are innocent. It is natural for people to cherish their lives. And... your wife and children died in a disaster. It has nothing to do with you."

Nozomi shook his head and whispered what he had never said.

"No, Father, I am guilty!"

He said firmly.

"I should have died, I should have followed them, but I lived alone. I am... guilty."

"you..."

"Father!"

He interrupted Nozomi's words, appearing rude and rude, with a hint of begging in his words.

"I am...guilty."

He said softly.

"I just don't want to...become a [monster]. I just want to die...as a [human]."

"......"

"Father, I am guilty."

He said again.

"......"

Nozomi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened his eyes as if he had made a decision. His golden pupils shone like stars in the rainy night.

"You...are guilty."

As the words of hope fell, a bright flame ignited from his body, not hot, but gentle, like a bonfire on a snowy night.

"Thanks..."

He smiled and closed his eyes in the flames, as if at this moment, he could feel his body again and the temperature of the flames... No, not as if, he truly felt the warmth from the fire.

"You...are still so kind..."

Before turning into ashes, his whispers echoed in the silent room.

"…Father."

After a brief silence, another person shouted.

"I am guilty!"

He shouted so.

"Father, I am guilty!"

They said so.

The reasons were nothing more than "loving life and living in the world", or "abandoning wife and daughter, giving up relatives and friends", but... Nozomi pointed out everything they had never said.

Their wives, children, relatives and friends all died in disasters, they were not abandoned by them.

But... they still persisted.

They are…"guilty."

"......"

Nozomi understood everything, so he stopped asking questions and said nothing more.

I just went up to them one by one, hugged them gently, placed my hands gently in their palms, blessed them, and gave them strength.

And then... give them farewell.

A bright fire ignited, burning them to ashes, but no one wailed. They just smiled calmly and closed their eyes silently, welcoming their end as humans.

The flames gently embraced them, allowing them to pass away in warmth... quietly and happily.

"Father, can you... hug me?"

In front of the last girl, she spoke softly to Nozomi.

She had lost an arm and an eye, and there was an obvious gap on her head. Her long hair only covered half of her head, and even her face looked ugly because of the wound. Her legs were covered with purple lines and she could not walk. She could only move with the help of one arm... But at this moment, she shyly but calmly opened her only arm towards Nozomi.

"I have only been here for a short time. I have not met the priest many times, nor have I had much contact with him, so... can you hug me? I want to... have more contact with you..."

"Um."

Without hesitation, he just nodded gently and reached out to hug her.

"Sure enough... it's just as everyone said... the priest's body is warm... very comfortable..."

She gently closed her only remaining eye and carefully felt the warmth coming from Nozomi's body.

Immediately, she tilted her head slightly, leaned against Nozomi's profile, and spoke in a weak, slightly trembling, but extremely firm voice.

"Father, I am...guilty."

Then, a bright flame ignited from her body.

Sure enough, it's just as everyone said...

She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the fire, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, bringing out a happy and beautiful smile.

"Father... he is such a gentle person..."

Then, the flames enveloped her and turned her into ashes.

Tick-tock

Outside, the rain was much lighter, but it was still falling, and the rain brought some emotions of heartache and comfort.

But at this moment, the sky was faintly glowing... The night was passing and the day was coming.

But... this does not mean the arrival of "dawn," but rather symbolizes... the beginning of disaster.

Boom!!!

A huge roar sounded from a distance, and a unique and annoying smell began to fill the air.

Special creatures in white and purple began to appear out of nowhere, destroying everything on Twilight Street.

Honkai - arrived as expected.