Lost Century Orchid

Faint, cold light sprinkled onto the residential community's roads, like flowing water, tirelessly streaming through the narrow alleyways. A bustling crowd of people gathered on the playground, as if it were a grand fair, incredibly noisy.

This was the school's morning exercise period, but today, surprisingly, there was no music playing for the jogging routine. Many leaders were seated on the flag-raising platform.

Below the stage, students whispered among themselves, most of them speaking evasively and irresponsibly. The reason was simple: standing on the flag-raising platform was the notorious Seele Vollerei, along with the person she had beaten up. The boy looked aggrieved, his lips pursed, appearing particularly weak.

In just one day, Seele's story had spread like wildfire. Not only in Seele's grade, but even the upper grades knew of her "glorious achievements." It was no exaggeration to say that everyone in this school knew about it.

"The school did the right thing. How can you just joke about someone's life like that? Throwing someone from the fourth floor could really kill them!"

"I feel like making her review her mistakes in front of the whole school is still too light. She should be given a more severe punishment!"

There were people in the crowd who were standing up for the boy, even though they didn't know the truth of the matter.

"Am I too soft-hearted? I always feel... that this is a bit too much. Did that thin and small girl on the stage really do something so excessive? If it wasn't her fault alone, apologizing in front of so many people would still be very uncomfortable, right?"

"Who knows? It depends on the specific content of her apology on the paper. But with the school's review, I'm afraid the content on the paper is definitely not short. Anyway, those old folks are just like that."

"I heard the teachers discussing in the office yesterday. That girl on the stage has no parents, so..."

There were also people who questioned the school leaders' choice. Most of them imagined themselves as Seele on the stage, and then felt a strange sense of loneliness and indifference. For a child without parents, if she couldn't get the approval of her classmates at school, no one knew what her emotions and mood would be like.

At the same time, the school's vice-principal stood up, holding a microphone, and righteously described Seele's "evil deeds."

"Seele Vollerei from Class 8 of the first year, without reason, beat up her classmate sitting in front of her, causing multiple fractures and threatening to throw him from the fourth floor. Her words and actions were extremely malicious! In response, the school has given Seele Vollerei a demerit, but considering it's her first offense and her attitude of admitting her mistake afterwards is good, the school has given her a chance to reform."

"Under the witness of all the teachers and students of the school, Seele Vollerei must sincerely apologize to the victim and promise that such incidents will not happen again in the future, and focus her mind on her studies. At that time, the school will revoke Seele Vollerei's demerit."

The vice-principal read the speech with a powerful voice and returned to his seat after he finished.

The principal sat in his seat and slowly opened the mineral water bottle cap. He had heard about this matter. With his rich experience, he determined that the boy must also be at fault, but to make a big matter small and a small matter disappear, an apology would be enough to end the matter, to prevent the boy's parents from coming to the school to hold them accountable.

That was what the school was most afraid of. Media, exposure. Not only would the school suffer, but Seele herself would also suffer more coldness and discrimination, and even be cyberbullied. After all, the classroom surveillance was off all year round. It was difficult to determine who was right and who was wrong based solely on the student's words.

Or maybe both were wrong, just a matter of who was more wrong.

Seele walked to the microphone, took a deep breath, and stared at the microphone thoughtfully, recalling some special memories.

The boy walked towards Seele at a leisurely pace, raising his chin, arrogantly waiting for Seele's apology.

"Can you hurry up... you're more dawdling than a woman," Seele said impatiently.

Translated by the senior Chinese-Japanese linguist Li Mo, it could make the other party perfectly feel the true meaning behind the sentence.

Suddenly, the originally noisy playground suddenly fell silent. The lingering wind circled in the sky for a round after round, and did not blend into the human voices for a long time.

You call this—a good attitude of admitting mistakes afterwards?

After about five seconds, the silent playground became bustling with people. The discussion was a mess. The boy who had just walked to Seele's side was so angry that he pointed his finger at Seele and repeatedly shouted, "You... you..."

Seele snorted coldly, "Hmph, me what? What? You're angry and want to lose your temper? I really envy you for being able to lose your temper. Unlike me, I don't even dare to lose my temper..."

"Because if I lose my temper, I'm afraid I'll ignite you, you good-for-nothing. Then you'll have to pretend to be a girl to gain sympathy. Tsk, tsk, why don't you just dress up as a girl?"

"Alas, no! You're too ugly. Your arms and legs are so thick. You can't be a cute little boy, only a flower."

Seele's merciless ridicule, the so-called "apology," echoed throughout the playground with the amplification of the microphone. This time, not only the students on the playground were shocked, but the principal who was still drinking water coughed heavily and choked on the water.

The vice-principal's face changed drastically. He wanted to get up but was pulled back by the principal.

He turned his head and saw the principal trying hard to suppress his laughter, with some water stains still on the corner of his mouth.

"No hurry, let's watch for a while," the principal said.

On Seele's side, after being so humiliated, the boy's face turned red with anger. He rushed forward to demand an explanation from Seele.

Young and impetuous, he didn't care about his face. He opened his mouth and was about to start cursing, "You slut..."

But before he could finish, Seele interrupted his casting, "Not as good as you. You're like amino acid dehydration condensation, a total peptide. You started cursing first, okay? I didn't say any dirty words before, did I?"

At most, it was sarcasm, not dirty words.

"You... a person like you should be expelled from school! Who do you think you are? The school is merciful enough to give you a chance to reform. You don't cherish it. You'll regret it when you're really expelled!"

"Then you'll come and beg for my forgiveness. Heh, I'm telling you, I'll never forgive you!"

"If you don't apologize today, the school will definitely give me an explanation!"

The boy became more and more agitated as he spoke, as if he had lost his mind and turned into a beast that could only vent its emotions, roaring non-stop.

"Stop, stop, stop..." Seele pressed her finger against the palm of her left hand. She was getting annoyed. So she signaled the other party to stop, and the next second, she said something shocking, "Are you from Dunhuang?"

"Dunhuang?" The angry boy didn't understand what that meant.

"Yeah, otherwise why do you have so many murals?" Seele very considerately emphasized the pronunciation of "murals." "Forget it, it's rare for me to reason with you. You're not worthy of listening."

With that, Seele took the apology letter and tore it into pieces in front of all the teachers and students. Then she threw it into the air, and suddenly, the confetti flew around, and the playground fell into a dead silence.

Seele spoke into the microphone, "I'm looking forward to the next person who wants me to apologize. I hope you can be a little tougher, not like this softie who hides behind and doesn't even have the courage to fight me."

"Let me state in advance, I'm very weak and probably can't beat you. But if we fight, I will do everything I can to kill you."

"Men, women, old, and young, no exceptions."

With that, Seele jumped down from the flag-raising platform, completely ignoring the gazes of the school leaders and all the students.

The playground was too cold. It was better to go back to the classroom quickly. Seele thought so. Just treat everyone in this world as NPCs. Anyway... they had never been good to her.

Only the brother in the mansion was real, was the one she liked, was the only... home she could go back to.

Seele's eyes shone, rippling with layers of ripples like dewdrops falling into a pool.

Her small body walked past one class after another. The strange gazes around her did not make her stop for even half a step. That's right. Just treat everyone in this world as NPCs. There's no need to care. Here she couldn't get any recognition of value or emotional feedback, only endless loneliness and coldness.

Only when she returned home and saw her brother did time begin to turn. The faded world returned to its original appearance, becoming colorful.

Sitting on her brother's lap, listening to stories, listening to the interesting stories told by her brother, some bizarre, some unforgettable. Brother would unconditionally stand by her side, would encourage her, would support her... and then... until her eighteenth birthday, he would kill her.

"..."

"..."

Time flew, years passed.

Four years had passed. Li Mo was twenty-one, and Seele was sixteen. The Honkai in the outer world had been cleared. Kiana had become the Herrscher of Finality and was temporarily residing on the moon to protect the Earth.

Li Mo also played a role in this. Even without the help of Bronya and Seele, the story of the girls' royal road... still played out as Li Mo had expected. Although with Otto's and his secret assistance.

"It really is... a fated ending. But I have no reason to be disappointed."

Li Mo sat in his bedroom. After his last check-up, the doctor estimated that he now had less than three years left. In other words, Li Mo might not even live to see Seele's coming-of-age ceremony.

"The source of the Honkai in this world is the Cocoon of Finality, not a world-destroying mechanism. The chosen one can easily change the fate of being destroyed. Does that mean that from the very beginning, many things can be ignored, or that some accidents were deliberately created to make Kiana transform and then directly master the Cocoon of Finality?"

"It's like a stage play. As long as you put a specific character in a specific scene and plot, and then pull the strings, you can smoothly curb the Honkai that has existed for a long time. Heh, it's simply a child's play..."

Li Mo's mentality was a little unbalanced. If there was no special existence like Kiana, did that mean that no matter how hard he tried, he would enter the next cycle? Because he couldn't get the recognition of the Cocoon of Finality, no matter how strong he was, it would be useless.

If he wanted to change, he could only accept the World Serpent's Stigma Project.

"Forget it, why think so much? It has nothing to do with me."

"Otto is already dead. Counting the time, Shigure Kira should have already found Cecilia and is on her way home."

Thinking of this, Li Mo was in a good mood. Cecilia could activate the Key of Creation, Abyss Flower, and eliminate the long-standing hidden dangers in his body. Perhaps for modern medicine, this was an impossible thing.

Because the illness had existed for too long, there was almost no way to completely eradicate it, but Honkai Energy could do anything. The Abyss Flower could repair and positively guide the body's cells and even molecular structure. The only drawback was the usage restriction.

Most people were not qualified to use the Abyss Flower, let alone release the zeroth-rated power: the Century Orchid of the Holy Lance.

Releasing the zeroth-rated power also came with a price, which coincided with the rules of the Bizarre. Trading life for life. The level of the price was the same, but the magnitude was different.

If Li Mo wanted to use "Usurp" to cure a person, regardless of whether the other party was a Valkyrie, a Herrscher, or an ordinary person, and no matter what state of death he was in, the level and magnitude were the same. If the other party got one more drop of blood, he would have one less; if the other party repaired an organ, his corresponding organ would become scarred and eventually fail.

And the Century Orchid of the Holy Lance was determined by the loss of life force. As the former strongest S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, Cecilia's life level was not on the same level as his.

Now he was just an ordinary person, so it would not consume too much of Cecilia's life force.

"I can finally get rid of this sickly body, so I can completely make up for Kira's regret..."

Li Mo lowered his head and looked at the ground solemnly, recalling some bad memories. Although Shigure Kira had never mentioned it, Li Mo knew very well that she cared a lot.

Several times, Li Mo found that thing in Shigure Kira's bag, but unfortunately, the red line never appeared. As for why she didn't get pregnant, the reason was simple. He was too weak, not energetic enough. He was only twenty-one, in his prime!

"Sigh... it's okay, everything is over. After today, I will recover a normal person's body, and then..."

Li Mo looked at Shigure Kira on his phone wallpaper and smiled happily.

The concert was held and, not surprisingly, it was a mess.

Emmm... it wasn't too bad either. After all, some people might just like this kind of thing.

The Herrscher of Death's voice, Schicksal's Requiem, was not a false reputation. Although her singing was not good, she was really beautiful. The audience who stayed behind seemed to have become immune to Shigure Kira's singing, and cheered "Kira Star's" name with high enthusiasm.

Could this be the so-called, love makes flaws perfect? The idol's flaws became the cute points that fans pursued.

"Creak—"

The door was pushed open. Li Mo immediately turned back and found Shigure Kira followed by the still charming... ahem, elegant and intellectual Cecilia.

"Why didn't you knock?"

"Hehe, wasn't I afraid of scaring you? Let's not talk about that for now. I brought Captain Cecilia over! She said she'll help me cure you!"

Shigure Kira excitedly rushed to Li Mo's side and grabbed his hands, "You're saved! We can live together for a long, long time..."

The joy on her face was hard to hide, like a gushing spring, bursting out. As long as Li Mo's body recovered, they could live a healthy and happy life forever.

In a few more years, the children in the orphanage would grow up. If the original history was not replicated and the haunted house did not appear... they could start planning to build a family... Li Mo would probably not refuse... he was a little lecher!

He was from China. He could learn about the Chinese New Year, gather all the children from the orphanage back, and celebrate the New Year happily together. Setting off firecrackers, having snowball fights, watching fireworks. He would also have to prepare a lot of red envelopes. Yes, yes! He had to work hard to make money!

Cecilia on the side saw this and looked at the happy Shigure Kira with deep meaning. She had also been like Shigure Kira, in a sweet love. Sweeter than honey, smiling foolishly all day, seeming to have no worries at all.

If she had to say she had worries, it would probably be about whether she was good enough in the other person's heart, whether she was pretty, whether they liked her, and so on... In the beginning... she was full of gains and losses, doing many things that did not fit her habits and personality, self-doubting, being shy and cautious.

In the middle... it was like being addicted. She couldn't control herself at all. She wanted to talk to her, wanted to be by her side, share what she liked, or couldn't help but bully her.

Later on... her heart was full of joy, her eyes full of light. Occasionally, she would say something without thinking, and then regret it later. Her speech became more natural, and she could do as she pleased. Because she understood that the other person would accept everything about her, good or bad. Getting along became easier, and there was no need to deliberately pretend. People who liked each other would not avoid each other because of their flaws.

Love is love. It's the process of two hearts getting closer, a story of two people growing up together. This story might not seem exciting, and it often wasn't satisfactory... Even if time was desolate and harsh, you still had to love the generosity and prosperity of life.

Cecilia was suddenly very curious. What kind of magic did Li Mo, who was sitting in a wheelchair, have that could attract her idol, Kira Star, so much that she seemed to have completely changed?

At that time, Shigure Kira had resigned from her position as a Valkyrie without any hesitation, very firmly. The Overseer did not allow it, so Shigure Kira begged her. As the strongest S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, Otto would not ignore Cecilia's opinion.

In order to help her, Cecilia pleaded with Shigure Kira. In the end, Shigure Kira got her wish and left Schicksal to be with Li Mo.

In the army, she had companions with whom she had gone through life and death, and seniors she respected and admired. Shigure Kira was also a very hardworking child. Even if she died in a certain mission, she would not abandon her companions.

The person who made her let go of everything, give up her dreams and bonds... was probably a thousand times more important than her own life.

An ordinary person? Cecilia showed a gentle smile. It was good. Anyway, the Honkai incidents were almost disappearing. Returning to the life of an ordinary person and integrating into society was a compulsory course for every Valkyrie. Shigure Kira was very lucky to be at the forefront of everyone.

"Hello, I am Cecilia Schariac, an S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, Little Shigure's captain. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Cecilia extended her right hand.

Li Mo did not dare to be slow. He quickly extended his right hand and introduced himself, "My name is Li Mo, an ordinary person."

"Pfft—!"

Hearing Li Mo's self-introduction, Shigure Kira couldn't help but cover her mouth and stifle a laugh, but she still laughed out loud in the first moment.

Cecilia and Li Mo looked at Shigure Kira at the same time. Shigure Kira waved her hand, "Oh, you guys continue. I just... remembered something very funny. Yes, yes, very funny."

Li Mo: "..."

Was being an ordinary person funny? He was indeed an ordinary person now...

Cecilia's gentle smile, her pink lips slightly parted, and the next second, her smile instantly disappeared.

A black and white long spear appeared. The body of the spear was accompanied by thorns and white flowers, swirling around her, magnificent and gorgeous.

"Don't be afraid, it doesn't hurt. The treatment process will just look very scary," Cecilia reminded.

Li Mo nodded. For the Abyss Flower to heal accurately, it was best for the tip of the spear to touch the person being healed. So it would look scarier. After all, a spear as tall as a person being stabbed at you was more or less a bit scary.

But for Li Mo, it was nothing. Even if he had recovered his complete human emotions, it was difficult for him to be afraid of his body being pierced. Because he had been pierced too many times, he was numb.

"It's okay, Senior Cecilia, you can be bolder. I won't be afraid."

"That's right, that's right. He won't be afraid of this. Li Mo is much braver than me!" Shigure Kira on the side couldn't help but show off how amazing her boyfriend was.

Cecilia: "Haha... then I'm coming?"

Li Mo: "Feel free to come. I'm also looking forward to this moment."

Shigure Kira: "Ngh... I always feel like your conversation is a bit bad?"

The tip of the Abyss Flower touched Li Mo's heart, which was also the place where the healing effect was greatest. The most important parts of the human body were nothing more than the heart and brain. Although Shigure Kira and Li Mo said so, Cecilia was still worried that Li Mo would be afraid, so she pressed the tip of the spear against his heart.

As the Key of "Creation" that reversed the power of the Herrscher of Death, the Abyss Flower had both the ability to decompose and create. The healing of the white flower was at the genetic and DNA level. Basically, any damage to the human body could be restored as before, repairing the living body from the genetic level. Even a dying person was enough to be reborn.

Not to mention that Li Mo was just an ordinary person. The success rate of the treatment was as high as 99.99%. Leaving a one-in-ten-thousand chance for unknown factors.

"I am the black from the abyss, I am the white from the clouds. Born before creation, existing after annihilation; I will give the water of life freely to the thirsty. Divine Key, Abyss Flower, zeroth-rated power—the Century Orchid of the Holy Lance..."

"Liberate! Grant new life to the person before me!"

Cecilia chanted the incantation of the Century Orchid of the Holy Lance. The room was instantly filled with white light, so dazzling that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Shigure Kira raised her arm to block the light, her eyes still struggling to open, wanting to witness the moment of Li Mo's rebirth with her own eyes.

Li Mo naturally closed his eyes. This light was too dazzling. He couldn't hold on under it. This feeling was like a high-power flashlight shining directly into his eyes, making it impossible to open them a little.

The treatment process did not last long. Half a minute later, the white light dissipated. A few drops of sweat slid down Cecilia's forehead. Her mouth was slightly open, and her chest was heaving violently. The first time, it consumed her stamina and a little bit of her life force.

"How is it! How is it! Li Mo, do you feel like you're as light as a swallow now, full of strength?" Shigure Kira impatiently ran to Li Mo's side and asked.

Li Mo tried to move his legs, but his legs were still out of his control, just like before. He still couldn't stand up.

Li Mo: "..."

Cecilia: "I failed."

Shigure Kira: "How, how could it be... the Abyss Flower can even save a dying person, how could it not even..."

Shigure Kira suddenly stopped talking, as if she had realized something, and turned to look at Li Mo in a daze.

Li Mo shook his head helplessly. The reason was simple. His body structure might be different from that of ordinary people. Even if he had lost all his Bizarre power, the Bizarre was still connected to him, interfering with all his information.

Cecilia: "It's strange. I clearly felt the existence of the genes, and they were indeed expressing the information they recorded, but..."

Li Mo: "Feel free to speak."

Cecilia: "Okay."

"The feedback the Abyss Flower gave me was very strange. Although the genes were expressing the information of being alive, they... note, it's all the genes. The situation the Abyss Flower fed back to me, all the genes are already 'dead,' and they are the characteristics of someone who has been dead for a long time..."

Speaking of this, Cecilia suddenly looked up at Li Mo. She had used the Century Orchid of the Holy Lance on a dead person before. Perhaps because they hadn't been dead for too long, so the genes were still somewhat alive. According to the feedback from the Abyss Flower, none of the genes in Li Mo's body had the characteristics of a living person.

Logically speaking, he should be dead, and the kind that has been dead for a long time. But Li Mo was right in front of her, with all the physiological characteristics of a living person, and he was warm. He didn't look like a dead person at all.

"I'll try again. Maybe I haven't released the zeroth-rated power for too long, and there was a misjudgment."

Cecilia repeated the previous operation. The result of the second time was no different from the first time. For a while, Cecilia was at a loss and didn't know what to do.

"Even the Abyss Flower doesn't work..."

Something unexpected happened. Li Mo had originally thought that the Abyss Flower would definitely be able to save him. After all, it was a Divine Key, involving the rules of the world. He didn't expect it to not work.

"Li Mo..." Shigure Kira called out Li Mo's name in a low voice.

Li Mo smiled wryly, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Cecilia. I've troubled you. Maybe my situation is just special. Since it can't be cured, then forget it."

Cecilia: "But I heard from Shigure Kira that you only have less than three years to live..."

Li Mo: "Three years is already a lot. At least I can still do many, many things. Taking care of the children is no problem."

"Li Mo, I'm not going to work anymore. From today on, I'll stay at home with you."

"Captain, that... can you lend me some... no, a lot of money? I'll pay you back with interest in the future. I'll definitely pay you back!" Shigure Kira said firmly.

Before, she thought the Abyss Flower could cure Li Mo, so she invested a lot of time in making money. But now that the Abyss Flower couldn't cure Li Mo, this meant that Li Mo's life was on a countdown. She... didn't want to waste any more time on making money.