Seele became the Grim Reaper on this battlefield, her massive scythe harvesting the lives of countless enemies, one by one, as figures fell around her.
The ordeal finally ended. Seele floated quietly in the air, her crimson pupils like beacons in the snow, shimmering with a faint red light.
"She should be over there. Seele, Lu Ze, wait for me, I'm coming right away."
Bronya ran frantically through the snow. She knew that every second she delayed increased the danger, and she didn't want them to be in peril.
Meanwhile, Seele suddenly deflated like a balloon and fell from the sky into the snow. Her colossal black scythe vanished, and her red pupils faded, gradually turning blue.
In her last moments before losing consciousness, she saw Bronya's blood-stained hands and then looked at the numerous corpses around her. Fear surged within her once more. She thought Bronya had killed everyone in front of her... but then she looked at her own hands, stained with countless drops of blood.
About a day later, Seele slowly woke up on a bed. She looked around and saw Bronya sleeping on the bedside, and Lu Ze in the next bed.
Lu Ze's back was heavily bandaged, with a steel plate even inserted. The treatment alone had cost a fortune, as fractured bones were very troublesome.
As if sensing the movement, Bronya opened her eyes, groggy. Seeing Seele sitting up, she excitedly sat up herself.
"Seele, you're awake? Do you feel unwell anywhere? If you do, you must tell me, and I'll tell Mama Kokolya."
Seele instinctively swatted away Bronya's outstretched hand and tightly clutched her blanket, her body trembling slightly, as if afraid of the person in front of her.
"Seele?"
Feeling the pain in her hand, Bronya couldn't believe Seele would do such a thing, and that she was so afraid of her...
"Seele... did I do something wrong? If I did, please tell me, and I'll fix it... Don't just stay silent like this."
"Demon, don't come near me! You demon, I don't want to see you!"
From Seele's perspective, just a few minutes ago, in her line of sight, both of them had disappeared. The only one remaining in the room was herself, holding a scythe...
She couldn't imagine herself wielding a scythe and reaping enemies. She couldn't face it. Under these circumstances, she subconsciously shouted the word "demon."
However, Bronya, sitting opposite her, completely misunderstood. She thought Seele was referring to her, calling her a demon, even though she hadn't done anything!
When she arrived at the scene, Lu Ze was lying in a pool of blood, and Seele was covered in it. The battle had long since ended, and she had only seen a field of corpses.
Having done nothing, she was branded a demon. Anyone else would have been unable to bear it.
But Bronya didn't want Seele to dislike her. She immediately grasped Seele's hands tightly and loudly promised again and again: "I will never hurt anyone again!"
It was precisely because of this promise that she later suffered some physical pain.
Time flew by, and Seele recovered quickly, as she hadn't sustained any serious injuries. Lu Ze, though recovering quickly, still needed a period of rest.
Kokolya, because of this incident, further strengthened the surrounding defenses to prevent similar occurrences.
As the days passed, the X-10 plan drew nearer, and Bronya was mentally prepared.
But just a few days before the experiment, as Bronya was going down the stairs, she suddenly felt a force pushing her down from behind.
After several rolls, she hit the ground hard. Dina's face broke into a smile as she walked down, step by step.
"Bronya... I've wanted to do this for a long time. Why? Why are you so close to that idiot! Bronya!"
Saying this, she stomped down hard on Bronya's calf, one foot, then another... Bronya's body was covered in shoe prints.
During this process, Bronya did not retaliate. After all, she had made a promise not to hurt anyone and would only resort to fighting if absolutely necessary.
However, Seele, huddled in a corner, witnessed everything. She cowered fearfully in the corner, trembling.
"What to do? What to do?"
Suddenly, someone walked out of the corridor and shouted:
"Hey, is it fun to bully someone who won't fight back? I remember Kokolya said you weren't allowed to fight. Or do you want to fight me?"
Lu Ze walked out and kicked Dina directly in the stomach. The latter was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the wall and sliding to the ground.
"You really are annoying!"
He grabbed Dina's hair and dragged her up. Looking at Bronya lying on the side, a surge of anger welled up in him. His hand, which had been raised to strike, paused mid-air. He chuckled.
He released Dina's hair and turned to pick up Bronya. He walked away step by step into the shadows. Seele, still in the corner, looked at Dina on the ground and didn't know what to do.
However, she chose to stand by and watch. After all, Dina had attacked first. She was more concerned about Bronya's injuries but felt too shy to visit.
Lu Ze carried Bronya down the corridor, intending to find Kokolya, as her injuries were quite severe.
"Thank you, Lu Ze... If it weren't for you, I probably..."
"Why thank me? I saw injustice and drew my sword. Besides... aren't we friends? Friends don't need to thank each other for help. But, should you give me a kiss?"
The beginning was quite serious, but that last sentence was a bit much. Bronya blushed and turned her head away, choosing not to hear.
Soon, Kokolya took Bronya to the hospital. The diagnosis came back quickly: a fractured lower leg, multiple minor fractures throughout her body, and some abrasions. She would likely need one to two months of rest.
This meant she couldn't participate in the X-10 plan. Kokolya didn't know what to say.
That night, Seele's pupils turned slightly red. She infiltrated Dina's room, making her experience a complete mental and physical breakdown. That night was ultimately not peaceful.
Lu Ze quietly stood guard outside Seele's door, using the limited Honkai energy he had to dampen the sound. It was precisely because Seele would bring Dina to justice that he had let her off earlier that afternoon.
As the saying goes, it's better to die early than late, so you might as well enjoy this torment.