Chapter 206: The Fairy of Fu Hua

The items had finally arrived.

The evening light poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Ryan stood still, staring at the suitcase, lost in thought.

The snowstorm had lingered all the way into summer, then suddenly disappeared, giving way to clear skies. This unpredictable weather had turned every atmospheric scientist into a mystic, unable to find any patterns.

It was like a dream—who still cares about the difference between spring, summer, autumn, and winter?

Strange, yesterday he was wearing a thick coat, and today he could get by with just a jacket.

Ryan shook his head. He couldn't control the additional effects of the Collapse, so he just opened the suitcase. Inside, there were several items, including a few semi-transparent spherical objects.

"So this is the ultimate hidden system V4 that Vil-V mentioned," Ryan mused, holding one of the spheres. It was very light, so much so that it could easily be mistaken for a decorative item bought from a street vendor, but it was actually the highest standard from a genius.

It had really been made portable. When unfolded, it could form a barrier that blocked Honkai energy. This meant it wouldn't be detected by the 'Skynet,' and with enough Honkai energy, its coverage area was enormous.

In simple terms, it was a scientific version of a force field.

"Aside from 'awesome,' I can't find any other words to describe this," Ryan said with a satisfied smile, tossing it aside before picking up another object.

It was a silver iron rod, smooth with no decorations, about a foot long but a bit thick. It felt cumbersome to hold.

"What's with this iron rod that Vil-V made for me?"

Ryan knew how to use a staff, but this was too short and too thick to get any proper leverage. So, he picked up another object that resembled a stopwatch.

What was this?

He pressed a button, and a beam of blue light shot out, startling Ryan so much that his whole body trembled.

Damn.

It was a holographic projection. The blue figure of Vil-V stood in the center of the living room, her arms crossed and her eyes closed. Then… nothing more happened.

The clock ticked on, and Ryan continuously tapped his foot, feeling his blood pressure rising visibly. Just as he reached for his phone, ready to yell at someone...

"Gentlemen and ladies, I'm sure you've been waiting for a long time. Let me, Vil-V, introduce a genius-level idea to you!"

Not just waiting, I'm about to smash your head.

Ryan gritted his teeth, then heard Vil-V begin talking about her inspiration—something about having an epiphany while eating grilled meat, asking why bamboo skewers, chopsticks, and forks couldn't be combined into one.

Who cares about that? Anything without a fast-forward button is bad civilization.

Ryan kept tapping his foot, enduring the conversation as it delved into complex theories, from material science to mechanics, making his head spin.

"Now, let me explain its function. Here comes the key point, please pay close attention."

Ryan instinctively leaned forward. Finally, the key point. But just as he was ready, the hologram disappeared.

"Sorry, let me emphasize the source of the inspiration again," Vil-V's voice came through just as Ryan was about to explode. She suddenly appeared, sticking her tongue out.

"Just kidding! I think it's rude to keep the audience waiting, so here's my new creation: the ultimate weapon of mass destruction—'I'll Take Your Life in Three Thousand Ways!'"

There were no more interruptions. Ryan ignored the ridiculous name and began listening attentively. It turned out to be a soul steel weapon, with 25% fluid metal incorporated and utilizing the memory construction pattern of the First Divine Keys.

In simple terms, this weapon could change shape within a certain range.

"The memory pattern allows for amazing functions. After determining the shape, press this button, and the parameters will be written into the metal. The appearance can change seamlessly, and the inspiration for this came from..."

Beep.

Ryan immediately crushed the projector. He had reached his limit. Before he could even start complaining, another beam of light shot out from the box.

"I know some of you gentlemen are in a hurry, but please don't rush. If you damage public property on purpose, the self-destruct mode will be triggered. I wonder if you've guessed it?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a countdown appeared on the silver metal rod, starting from '3.'

Ryan stood frozen, watching the numbers tick down to zero. His brain seemed to tremble.

"Vil! V!!"

Boom—

A burst of colorful ribbons exploded out of the box, covering Ryan entire body. Then, the hologram clapped its hands.

"Hehe, just kidding. 'I'll Take Your Life in Three Thousand Ways' is yours~"

Ryan didn't show any expression or say anything. He just stood silently, waiting until half a minute later, when he finally ripped the ribbons off his head.

He didn't lose control at all, and his demeanor was unusually cold.

"Alright, I'll remember this grudge."

With those words, Ryan gently bent down, took out the short rod, and, following the 'manual,' infused it with Honkai energy. Then, he watched the weapon morph like mercury.

It stretched and formed into a three-foot-long straight blade. After choosing the memory function, he made the short rod revert and then activated it again.

Cling.

The straight blade appeared instantly, shining silver. If Ryan wanted, he could even adjust the details, like the hilt, blood groove, or even the decorative patterns and colors that were purely aesthetic.

Looking at the weapon in his hand, which changed color like a glowing stick, his earlier resentment faded by more than half.

"Annoying as it is, this is truly a genius idea."

Soul steel was originally made of nanobots, and by combining it with fluid metal and adding the memory function, it could accommodate any combat scenario. Honestly, Ryan didn't know how Vil-V managed to pull this off.

He began experimenting again, continuously stretching the weapon. The limit was a three-meter-long spear. Any more metal, and it wasn't enough.

Hmm—

The tip of the spear was sharp, the circular blade sliced through the air, and the weight was just right. Then, he dispersed the Honkai energy, and the spear transformed back into a long flute, which he could conveniently hang from his belt.

"Interesting, in terms of versatility, it's no less impressive than the Divine Keys."

He toyed with the 'flute,' feeling that Vil-V was hopeless with names. How could she give such an amazing weapon such a terrible name?

"Let's call it 'Dragon's Hidden.' It's infinitely variable, and no one will ever see your true form."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ryan felt a slight tremor. It wasn't because the weapon had any special intent; it was a high-tech item with an AI built in—very scientific.

Click.

At that moment, the door to the master bedroom opened, and Hua poked her head out.

"I just heard a weapon slicing through the air. Did Vil-V send you something?"

Vil-V's lengthy explanation had lasted over an hour. Hua claimed she was napping, but it wasn't normal for it to take so long, especially considering the earlier noise.

"Yeah, I just got it. It's a premium piece of soul steel weaponry—probably second only to the Divine Keys," Ryan gently stroked the flute and casually asked, "How come it took you so long to change? Everything okay?"

"It's... fine." Hua pulled her head back, and when she saw Ryan strange gaze, she gritted her teeth and stepped out.

She was wearing a traditional Chinese garment in moon-white, exposing her smooth, rounded shoulders. The sleeves were wide, with lotus flower patterns. The waist was cinched with a green belt, making her waist appear very slender. At the knot of the belt, there was a dark red jade ornament.

Hua had also changed her hairstyle. Her gray-blue hair was let down, and at the top, she had a small bun with a gold plum blossom hairpin.

It was steeped in ancient charm.

Ryan eyes lit up, and for a moment, he felt something familiar. This was just like the immortal Fuhua, but instead of the cold, determined version, this time, Hua seemed a bit youthful, with an expression of shyness, as if waiting for something.

The immortal Fuhua, this was a fairy version, but they were both Fuhua.

"How do I look?"

"Spin around and let me see."

"Oh."

Hua didn't think much of it and spun around. The skirt spread out like petals, revealing her fair legs.

"You really exude a refined aura. You still have a lot of your youthful energy. Compared to her, you look even more beautiful now."," Ryan nodded slowly, feeling a sense of achievement. This was a version of the immortal no one had seen before.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you look great, combining tradition and modernity perfectly. And a fairy is far more interesting than a gloomy immortal."

Hua didn't fully understand the second half of the sentence, but she got the part about "looking great." Still feeling a bit uncertain, Ryan raised his hand.

"I wonder, may I have the honor of having the beautiful fairy accompany me to the summer festival?"

It sounded a bit formal, and Ryan had forgotten he was quite cultured.

The girl, with only a high school diploma, froze for a moment. Her beautiful eyes turned into crescents, and she gently placed her hand in Ryan palm.

"I would be very happy."

The two of them headed straight for the coastal suburb. There was a mountain there, which, according to legend, was the birthplace of a god, now a holy site in Neon's local religion.

In ancient times, it was used for rain prayers and ceremonies, and in modern times, it became a cultural spot. Now that the strange weather had cleared, people were eager to go out.

As they left the city, the road was completely blocked, and Ryan and Hua had no choice but to get out of the car and walk along the coastal road.

The street was crowded with people, and like in Neon, traditional clothing was similar to Hua, resembling the 'yukata' from Ryan memory, except the hem was very short, only reaching the upper thighs.

This was good civilization, a precious heritage that should be passed down.

Ryan glanced around. Due to the slightly cooler weather, most of the girls wore over-the-knee socks, in black, white, and purple—quite eye-catching. But the male fashion was a visual pollution, and after seeing so many hairy legs, he just raised his gaze.

At that moment, he spotted someone familiar.

The blonde youth stood at the foot of the mountain's stairs, with both hands elegantly in his pockets. At first, Ryan thought he was haunting him again but soon realized he was mistaken.

The man wore a smile, openly staring at various stockings, disinterested in hiding his gaze. When he found someone particularly pretty, he would walk up and hand them a business card. Ryan wasn't sure what was said, but the man received several slaps.

"Senior brother, that person..." Hua noticed him too, frowning slightly.

"Don't mind him." When Ryan saw the man get slapped again and still maintain his gentlemanly smile, he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.

"Now that's a real pervert!"