Chapter 182: The Iron-Handed Father
"The Fourth God Key is a satellite that has been floating in space for fifty thousand years. It contains the core of the previous civilization's Herrscher of the Wind and has the ability to control the weather, gather or disperse large areas of Honkai energy. It once repaired the Earth's ecosystem, which was almost completely disintegrated after the end of the previous civilization, and also restored the ravaged Siberia after the Second Eruption. Now, it will continue to help the Far East region regain life."
"As we can see, the wounds of the land are healing under the gentle wind and rain, and the special plants engineered by Anti-Entropy are beginning to sprout. When they grow and eventually wither, this land, once corroded by Honkai energy, will quickly regain its fertility and become a place where life can thrive again..."
"In the great Honkai, we have always lost much. It has always been this way. During the First Eruption, my first mentor in life, the origin of Anti-Entropy's founding ideals, the great Welt Joyce, defeated the Will of the Honkai and sacrificed himself. During the Second Eruption, I repeatedly faced life and death alongside warriors of Schicksal. Countless Valkyries sacrificed themselves, and even Fu Hua burned her own life and memories to the very brink… Eventually, we won the Battle of Siberia."
"The Chiyou battle of the past, and today's Far East Eruption, both victories were bought with countless sacrifices, ensuring the survival of civilization. What I want to say is that the Honkai is not just the concern of one person or one organization; it is a disaster that affects all of humanity. In fact, every person is standing on the front lines and has a duty to fight against it."
"Research has shown that the intensity of the Honkai correlates with the development level of a civilization. Therefore, some people have voiced this idea—that we should simply halt our development so that the Honkai might come slower and less violently."
"But can we really stop and passively wait?"
"There are two theories about the nature of the Honkai. One is that it is a natural law testing civilizations; the other is that it is an anti-civilization force corresponding to the increase in entropy. In either case, halting progress is merely waiting for extinction. Only by striving forward, continually overcoming hardships, and exploring unknown territories can civilization possibly find a true way out. This is the consensus of our two organizations, and I hope the world can understand and support us."
"What I want to say is, even though the advanced previous civilization faced unimaginable disasters leading to its downfall, they still left behind the God Keys, Soulium, technological relics, fusion warriors, and other legacies. Over fifty thousand years, they even restored Earth, allowing us to exist today. We have accepted their gifts, developed, and fought with their help, and we should go farther than our predecessors—until we conquer the Honkai."
"This path requires warriors who will fight to the death, and it also needs the support and unity of the people. As for us, we will always be at the forefront, never retreating."
"No matter what, please do not forget that civilization is a community. Every person is part of it, sheltered by it, and has a duty to contribute to it. Never forget the courage of the martyrs. Human history is a history of courage, and the song of humanity is a song of bravery."
"And also, remember, the greatest invention of humanity is not technology or cities, but love. Love has infinite power, and it flows through the veins of everyone. May everyone in the world embrace their loved ones and enjoy the beauty of life."
"I am Welt Yang, thank you all for watching. Goodbye."
…
The semi-documentary, semi-educational program ended, and the screen dimmed.
In the bright hall, Kiana and several other girls turned their heads, staring at Welt, who was slowly sipping his tea, their eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Uncle Welt, you're amazing! That was incredible!"
"It was just something that came from the heart. I hope it can provide some comfort to the worried and fearful people. Besides, it's a stopgap. I didn't expect the scale of this Honkai event to be so massive, with three Herrschers appearing all at once. We have to lift the spirits of the people around the world."
Welt scratched his face, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Then, he noticed Kiana with her long silver hair approaching, her big, watery eyes blinking, looking so adorable.
Under his glasses, Welt's brown eyes softened with a kind smile, and he couldn't help but raise his hand to pat the girl on the head.
Smack!
A long, slender hand with clearly defined knuckles tapped Welt's hand, making him instinctively withdraw his motion.
He looked in confusion at Sigurd, who seemed to be absorbed in reading some documents.
"Um..."
"She's grown up. Mind your manners. Now, let's talk business. These are the figures that have emerged during this public opinion crisis—the ones advocating for surrender. They're the kind of people who do no good. The usual procedure: hang them up on the streetlights, Mr. Iron-Handed Father."
"Uh…"
A virtual screen opened before Welt. Looking at the list, he fell silent for a moment.
"Iron-Hand" referred to his ruthless methods in internal purges and dealing with obstacles to reform. "Father" came from the entirely publicized philosophy that had even become a mandatory course in the schools run by Anti-Entropy.
Sigurd had read it and found it similar to the great ideological core he remembered, but with many differences, modified to fit the world's current state, Anti-Entropy's power, and the crisis of the Honkai—a grand yet practical vision.
Those who studied Welt's introductory philosophy regarded him as a fatherly figure, protecting all of humanity.
Welt brought his fist to his mouth, coughing lightly, and said:
"Ahem! Could you stop calling me that? It's a bit awkward."
"Why? It's a good title. It shows how much people appreciate what you've done all these years."
Sigurd looked up at Welt, puzzled by why he felt embarrassed.
Welt chuckled dryly and shook his head with resignation.
"…Fine, as long as you're happy. Looking at this list, there are about a hundred or two hundred people. What on Earth are they thinking? Submitting to the Honkai—I just can't understand it."
"It's quite normal. With such a large group, you get all kinds. Some are so terrified that they absurdly deceive themselves into thinking that by worshipping the Honkai, they'll be spared judgment. Others are just bored with life, screaming edgy slogans like 'down with human tyranny, the world belongs to the Honkai.' There are even those who think Honkai is cool… Sigh, you can't expect everyone to have common sense."
"Can't they be educated?"
"Those who can be educated aren't on this list. Check their records of actions. If you think any of them can be spared, feel free to cross off a name or two."
Welt began to read through the contents.
After a long time, he sighed.
"I'll handle it. You don't need to get your hands dirty. In the eyes of the public, your image is still very clean—no need to taint it."
"I never planned to do it myself anyway. With your track record over the years, if you take the lead in publicly handling it, the deterrent effect will be much stronger. By the way, do you need me to provide you with some ideal streetlights for hanging people?"
"Can we drop that joke already? I was just furious back then with those despicable scumbags who were beyond saving, and the public was outraged too... I haven't done anything that extreme since."
Welt touched his nose as he spoke.
Executing someone was one thing—once it was done, it was over.
But hanging them from streetlights… It wasn't really necessary, and Welt didn't like the idea of humiliating corpses.
Sigurd nodded.
"At least you know where to draw the line. Don't let a moment of anger drive you to extremism. You're a leader, not a reckless hothead acting on pure passion."
"Thanks for the reminder. I'll be careful."
"Oh, and by the way, a few days ago I awarded Chen Tianwu the Deputy Executive Officer badge."
"Hmm? Oh… You can decide those things yourself."
Welt scratched his head, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, showing no sense of authority as the leader of Anti-Entropy.
'Chen Tianwu, huh? That kid has made it this far!'
Welt couldn't help but glance out the window at the moon.
His memory of Chen Tianwu was still of that exhausted young man running around at Sigurd's orders.
But since it was Sigurd's student and Sigurd who gave him the badge, it spoke volumes about the kid's competence.
Welt felt a surge of pride that Anti-Entropy had such promising successors.
Sigurd rolled his eyes, not wanting to waste more time talking to this clueless guy.
He continued,
"One more thing. The promotion of the 'Moonlight Throne' system needs to be intensified. For places that aren't cooperating, you'll need to make more visits. Bring out your iron-hand attitude—this directly impacts the sacrifice rate when the Honkai strikes. It's critical."
"Understood. I know what to do."
Welt adjusted his glasses, and for a brief moment, the light reflecting off the lenses carried a chilling intensity before his expression returned to its usual gentle warmth.
By now, Welt had lost count of how many lives were on his hands, but anyone who met him would still believe he was a kind man.
Hanging the guilty from streetlights didn't stop him from kneeling in the mud and rain to gently help up a little girl who had fallen—that's just the kind of person he was.
Meanwhile, Sigurd, having finally dealt with all the miscellaneous matters, closed all the data windows and stretched his tired body.
The Far East Honkai Eruption had finally come to an end.
Leaning back in his chair, Sigurd let his mind go blank, staring into space.
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