Volume 1, Chapter 49: Wanting to Devour Her

Gretel seemed preoccupied; immediately after their sparring session ended, she left without delay.

Xia Chen felt somewhat puzzled but assumed she was highly competitive about winning and losing.

However, once Gretel departed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness.

His current physical prowess and compatibility with Honkai Energy were exceptionally strong. Daily training only allowed him to maintain his condition without decline, but making further progress had become increasingly challenging.

Unlike Durandal, who possessed the talent to grow stronger through sheer effort alone, Xia Chen faced limitations.

Adding a drop of water to another drop increases its volume significantly.

But adding a single drop to a lake appears insignificant, barely compensating for evaporation losses.

This aptly described Xia Chen's situation.

If only the Memory Battlefield were available, he could refine his skills against the Glorious Knight. However, at present...

Xia Chen sighed deeply.

However, with only three simulation chances per week and having already used them up this time, there were still two days left until the next opportunity.

He suddenly realized that the System's suggestion of waiting every two days was justified; otherwise, he wouldn't know what to do during these idle periods.

This abundance of free time felt overwhelming for Xia Chen, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Uncertain about his next steps, he pondered.

It must be late at night in Europe now. He couldn't recall the exact time difference between Australia and the floating island, but it clearly wasn't suitable to disturb Ana.

In that moment, Xia Chen understood the dilemma often described as "tasteless to consume yet regrettable to discard."

"Never mind, I should clear my mind instead," he thought.

Feeling the need to adjust his state, particularly mentally, Xia Chen recognized the constant tension within him, even during simulations, which remained unchanged.

His nerves had been stretched too tight for far too long.

Arriving abruptly at the Ocean Branch without any specific goals, just a place to relax, proved difficult for him to adapt. Xia Chen feared that if this idleness persisted for just one week, he might rapidly decline.

Once that happens, regaining his peak condition would become exceedingly difficult.

Xia Chen realized he needed to find something productive to do.

More precisely, he sought tasks to exert pressure on himself.

He found himself missing Durandal somewhat.

After leaving the training room, Xia Chen began aimlessly wandering around, with no one from the Ocean Branch paying him much attention.

As a special operative transferred from Headquarters, his 'unique' status had already made him well-known within the branch. Additionally, since he was merely strolling in public areas, there was no need for anyone to intervene.

Just as he approached the exit of the Ocean Branch, he heard faint gunshots.

The sounds indicated ordinary bullets being fired, rather than specialized weapons against Honkai Beasts.

Following the noise, he discovered a small training area nearly deserted.

Gretel was busy setting up targets, while Wendy, seated in her wheelchair, held a Colt pistol aiming at distant objectives with both hands.

It was evident she was practicing diligently.

Despite being trapped in a quagmire, she never abandoned hope.

Xia Chen's eyes slightly narrowed.

For some inexplicable reason, a sudden urge surged within him.

The desire to consume her.

Xia Chen momentarily faltered but quickly regained his composure.

However, this craving did not dissipate.

His expression involuntarily turned grim. Despite having instructed Rin to dull their memories of the scene, it seemed...

At that moment, Gretel noticed Xia Chen.

"Hmm, can I help you with something?" The girl positioned herself in front of Wendy, her gaze carrying a hint of caution.

Wendy was exceptional, ever since she was chosen for experimentation. Even though the trials had failed now, her body still held significant research value.

Moreover, Xia Chen hailed from Headquarters.

Gretel didn't distrust the Headquarters outright, but her priority was protecting Wendy.

"My apologies for interrupting your training."

Xia Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions.

Instead, Wendy slowly wheeled herself out from behind Gretel, gazing at him with a somewhat dazed look.

She recalled those two vivid dreams. In both, she died by his hand, finding release.

A smile appeared on her face. "Hello, I'm Wendy. May I know your name?"

"From Headquarters, Squad Member Xia Chen."

Xia Chen suppressed his thoughts and said to her, "If I'm not mistaken, you two seem to be practicing."

"Yes, just as you see," she replied with genuine happiness.

Gretel's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

Ever since Wendy couldn't stand anymore, she hadn't smiled like this. Although Gretel cared for her during their time together, melancholy had become Wendy's predominant emotion.

Gretel dared not mention Wendy's condition, as each reference only deepened the gloom surrounding her.

For this reason, Gretel created a small training area in this nearly deserted place. The current Wendy could only engage in combat through shooting, allowing her brief moments to escape from her tragic reality.

But now, Wendy seemed unreserved about displaying her disability in front of Xia Chen.

Casually, she explained, "Due to an experimental accident, I can no longer stand."

"Shooting is my sole ability and freedom."

Indeed, at present, she couldn't even attempt suicide.

Because if she did, those valuable experimental data would be lost forever.

The girl smiled faintly, "Would you like to give it a try?"

"Uh, sure."

With slight hesitation, he took the gun from her hand. However, when their bodies inadvertently touched, his breath abruptly caught.

A strong craving surged within his mind.

He suddenly desired to consume her.

This urge came abruptly and vanished just as intensely. When he regained his composure, he realized a damp patch had spread across his back.

It was the Stigmata assisting him.

"Thank you."

He began examining the Colt pistol, although this ordinary firearm, with minimal modifications, offered little of interest to observe.

Honestly, ever since acquiring the Red Sakura, he rarely used guns anymore.

Despite having well-designed firearms, due to caliber limitations, their ability to harness Honkai Energy was significantly constrained. As enemies grew stronger, the effectiveness of guns diminished accordingly.

As a result, top-tier Valkyries seldom fought using conventional firearms.

However, this did not diminish the importance of gun training, which remained a mandatory course for every Valkyrie.

Holding the gun, he aimed at the target and fired.

At merely forty meters away, well within his line of sight, it was naturally a perfect shot.

Internally, he couldn't help but sigh.

For the young man, shooting targets at forty meters felt effortless. Yet for the girl, achieving such accuracy on her own represented one of her most challenging tasks.

She too was an A-rank Valkyrie after all.

In silence, Xia Chen returned the standard-issue pistol, unsure how many times she had used it before.

As they approached each other, he faintly heard her whisper.

"If fate has brought us together here, killing me should not burden you with guilt or regret."

Suddenly, a desire surged within his mind.

He wanted to consume her.