What's the Shortest Distance Between Two Points?

Kiana, with the look of someone who'd just tasted their own cooking gone horribly wrong, reluctantly accepted the coin from Shu. As soon as she touched it, a sense of familiarity washed over her. No way, she thought. This is that same coin from Nagazora, isn't it? It has to be!

"Just saying, this kind of thing is totally bogus! If anything happens…" Kiana rubbed the coin between her fingers, desperately trying to preemptively absolve herself of any responsibility.

"Hold it!" Shu interrupted, sensing the impending jinx. "Just flip it already! No one's going to blame you!"

Resigned to her fate, Kiana took a deep breath and tossed the coin. It spun in the air countless times before she caught it, slapping it onto the back of her hand.

Heads. They had to keep going.

"Alright, let's move on," Shu said, retrieving the coin, pocketing it, and leading the way. He refused to believe that out of a city this size, with a population of over thirty million, not a single soul had survived the Honkai. Even a single zombie would be nice.

The three girls followed, their steps slightly hesitant, now acutely aware that they were walking on the remains of countless people.

Shu's reconnaissance continued non-stop. The negligible energy expenditure was a small price to pay for the hope of finding another living being. He scanned at full power as they walked, his heart sinking with each passing moment.

There really wasn't a single person. Only the dust underfoot served as a grim reminder of the lives that had once thrived here.

Until…

"Found one!" Shu exclaimed, abruptly changing direction and looking towards the area beneath an overpass. He had spotted a hunched figure moving slowly in the shadows.

The figure's posture was strange, barely reaching Shu's waist. But it wasn't the small frame of a child like Li Sushang. It resembled a thin, stooped adult, possibly elderly.

Most importantly… according to Shu's perception, it wasn't a monster, but a living, breathing human. He could sense a heartbeat and respiration!

While there were other oddities about the figure, they had been searching ARC City for nearly two hours! This was their only lead.

"You found someone?" Kiana echoed Shu's excitement, hurrying forward and craning her neck to see. "Where? I don't see anyone."

"Blocked by the buildings, but I know where they are. Follow me!" Shu quickly plotted a course and began searching for a route. Then, he froze.

Shu's [Prayer]-powered Jerk Navigator has started navigation… Please proceed twenty meters, jump from the overpass, and descend 114 meters…

Shu: "..."

"Shu, how do we get there?" Kiana, her patience worn thin after two hours of fruitless searching, pressed him. "You can find a shortcut, right?"

Shu just stared at her, silent.

Kiana's excitement evaporated, replaced by a sense of foreboding.

"Uh… we're taking a shortcut, right…?"

A mischievous grin spread across Shu's face.

…

Two minutes later, Shu found himself dangling from the edge of the overpass, Kiana clinging to his left arm, Mei to his right, and Bronya wrapped tightly around his neck. The scene should have been somewhat… intimate, but the three girls were gripped by stark terror.

"Shu, maybe we can skip the shortcut! We can take the long way!" Kiana pleaded, her grip on Shu's arm tightening, her voice trembling as she looked down at the dizzying drop below.

"Don't worry! You jumped out of a plane in the original story, and you were fine!" Shu suppressed a chuckle, trying to reassure her.

That was completely different! Kiana wanted to yell, but knowing her life was literally in Shu's hands, she bit her tongue.

"Besides, I'm here, aren't I? Trust me!" Shu tried to pat his chest reassuringly, but Mei, equally terrified, held his other arm in a death grip.

"Really?" Kiana looked up at him. It was the first time Shu had seen such a vulnerable, frightened expression on her face. Delightful! he thought.

"Ahem! Ready?!" Instead of providing further comfort, Shu, his mischievous streak now in full swing, yelled and leaped off the overpass, pulling the two girls and carrying Bronya with him.

"Wait! Promise me we won't dieeeeeeee!!"

"Shu—!!"

After Kiana's five-second shriek, their descent seemed to slow dramatically just before impact, and they landed smoothly on the ground.

Feeling solid ground beneath her feet, Mei released Shu's arm and slowly opened her eyes. They had made it.

Her legs wobbled, but she managed to stay upright, only stumbling slightly. She glanced over to see Shu, his face a ghastly shade of purple, gently patting Bronya's hand, which was still locked around his throat. Kiana, oblivious to the dust on the ground, was crouched over, pale and gasping for breath.

They hadn't jumped huddled together. In mid-air, they were connected to Shu only by their hands, and Mei's vigilance had allowed her to react quickly. Kiana, distracted by Shu right before the jump, had essentially fallen without warning.

Bronya, eyes still squeezed shut, face frozen in a mask of fear, tightened her grip. Mei suspected it was deliberate payback. Shu's face was turning redder by the second, and he couldn't speak. Bronya's choking technique was clearly effective, rendering him speechless while maximizing his discomfort.

Help me, someone, help… Shu thought, looking at Mei, who stood by, seemingly unfazed. Why are you just watching, Mei-senpai?!

"Alright, Bronya, we're on the ground now. Everything's fine," Mei finally said, breaking the silence and rescuing Shu.

Bronya released her grip as if nothing had happened, hopping off Shu's back, her expression completely neutral. She didn't even offer a hint of remorse.

"I live!" Shu gasped, taking a deep breath, now eyeing the two vengeful women with a newfound wariness. Was it really that bad? he wondered. All I did was trick you into grabbing me for a "teleport," then jump really fast…

…

Okay, maybe it was a bit much…