Volume 1, Chapter 64: Simulation - The World of Finality's Arrival

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Xia Chen still couldn't bring himself to kill him.

At the moment the announcement about Finality's imminent arrival was made, the soldier had already died.

"The battle on the moon has been lost. Everyone, immediately return to designated shelters and air-raid bunkers. Evacuate from the surface underground."

"Enough food for three years is stored underground. Soldiers will maintain order."

"This is Fire Moth's final command."

The voice abruptly cut off.

It wasn't Mei's voice; upon learning of the failed lunar operation, she had lost consciousness.

Prometheus stepped in to issue the last command, following a predetermined protocol with unwavering execution.

Xia Chen tried pulling another Fire Moth soldier towards safety, but as he did, the soldier collapsed lifelessly, almost as if dead for some time.

He sighed helplessly.

Instead of joining the crowd heading for the air-raid shelter, Xia Chen remained behind.

The previous era left no information regarding Finality, so he wanted to observe it firsthand.

Regrettably, during the first simulation, he had perished without even reacting. This time...

"Ana, I need your assistance again."

A chilling sensation emanated from his Stigmata on the back, invigorating him.

Ana continued to assist him silently.

With the issuance of 'the last command,' it signified the dissolution of the Fire Moth organization.

He paid no heed to the soldier's corpse and instead walked out of the base.

Similarly, about a dozen scattered individuals took the same action.

All of them wore protective masks, obscuring their faces, fully armed from head to toe, with mere nods serving as greetings.

They were deserters, unwilling to carry out that final order.

"Once that bird-like Herrscher arrives, don't hold me back, guys. Let me put some bullets right into its body."

A burly man spoke up, "I've been seething for too long. Why should we always be on the receiving end? We must fight back."

"Hah, as if anyone would want to stop you," retorted a neutral voice, making it hard to discern if it was male or female. "I've wanted to piss all over it for ages."

"Ha ha ha, this time I purposely coated my bullets with fecal water."

"You're truly something else, Joseph."

Their laughter echoed, treating the upcoming battle as trivial and inconsequential.

Xia Chen knew that it wasn't that they weren't afraid; rather, their fear had become numbingly overwhelming.

In the previous era, heroes were not the only ones present.

Suddenly, he felt compelled to say something, even though he was completely unfamiliar with these people. Yet once again, he despised his lack of eloquence.

Just then, a hand rested on his shoulder.

"Hey kid, you should go back."

A burly man with a strong accent stood beside him. "This isn't the place for you, kid. Continue carrying out your final orders."

"I'm no longer a kid," Xia Chen responded, but realized his voice sounded less raspy and somewhat more youthful than before—almost like he was just 16 years old.

"Go back, be obedient."

The burly man seemed accustomed to coaxing others. "I have a son too. If there hadn't been any mishaps, he'd probably be around your age now."

"No, I won't."

For the first time, Xia Chen felt a sense of stubborn defiance.

"Listen to me, you're our Kindling."

The man paused before continuing, "We may not be able to protect this world effectively, but we must at least leave behind the spark of hope."

"Someone, take him back."

Those nearby exchanged glances, and eventually, one man firmly grasped Xia Chen's shoulders.

Despite feeling that this man lacked significant strength—Xia Chen could easily overpower him—he chose not to resist.

At this moment, choosing death required courage, just as choosing to survive did.

He couldn't extinguish this bravery here, even if it was merely a virtual world.

Numbly following the unnamed individual to the underground shelter, Xia Chen witnessed a remarkable scene akin to an underground city's splendor.

Inside, there were ample food supplies, clothing for warmth, and over ten thousand surviving inhabitants.

Each person looked at him with eyes reflecting near-despair.

A young girl softly asked, "How long do we have to stay here?"

"Can we ever return to the surface again?"

Xia Chen felt a searing pain in his heart.

As a soldier, he had no answers to give.

This was a civilization from an era already destroyed in history, yet now it appeared before him in a startlingly real manner, immersing him in its reality.

The 'Courage to Face All' bestowed by the system left him utterly speechless, unable to utter any words—whether comforting lies or harsh truths.

Only in this moment did Xia Chen fully grasp the weight of Kevin's words:

"No matter the cost, humanity will surely overcome Honkai."

He remained silent, not uttering a word.

This place called the air-raid shelter actually resembled an underground city-state, providing essential human needs such as hot water and electricity without interruption.

Apart from food, what dominated the underground city most were books.

Even a popular novel could capture the fading essence of an era.

However, nobody was in the mood to read these works; everyone was waiting for news from outside.

A sense of despair spread among the crowd.

"When will we be able to return above ground again?"

"The lights here are too bright; I can't sleep."

The young girl's voice questioned him nearby.

Xia Chen managed a smile more sorrowful than tears, but with his mask on, it didn't visibly frighten her.

In a muffled tone, he replied, "Soon, the disaster will soon be over."

"Really, very soon?"

"Yes, truly very soon."

Xia Chen let out a slight sigh.

The truth would have been far too cruel for the girl.

"Then let's pinky swear," the little girl said. "Pinky swear with me that the disaster will definitely pass."

"Alright."

Still wearing his heavy, clumsy gloves, Xia Chen extended his pinky finger and hooked it around hers.

"Yes, my mommy and daddy said the same thing - they'll be back very soon." The girl's face lit up with a smile.

Suddenly, Xia Chen heard muffled groans.

Without warning, people began collapsing en masse onto the ground, starting from someone nearby.

Frightened, the girl clung to Xia Chen and sobbed uncontrollably.

She couldn't comprehend what was happening as familiar and unfamiliar faces alike fell one after another.

Only the bright glare of incandescent lights remained, shining ominously.

Soon, even the sound of the little girl's crying faded away.

[The human refuge, the air-raid city, has been completely annihilated. Cause unknown.]

Xia Chen numbly emerged from this silent, lifeless city.

Then, he spotted the soldier who had led him back to the air-raid shelter earlier.

There was no sign of movement; the soldier lay motionless.