At night, when Ryn returned to his room, he found that Penglaiji was already lying in bed.
Although Penglaiji Ryn usually seemed a bit dazed, she was at least usually in good spirits, a very sunny and cheerful person.
But now, the girl was lying on the bed, propping her face up with one hand, exuding an aura of unhappiness and sadness.
"What's wrong? Did something happen at the base that made you unhappy?"
"Mmm, I was rejected…"
Penglaiji Ryn started to say, but upon seeing that it was Ryn who had returned, she grabbed the blanket beside her and wrapped herself completely in it.
"It's nothing. Rest early!"
Rejected? Ryn immediately thought of what Seele had told him today. So he sat down cheerfully on the edge of Penglaiji Ryn's bed, lifted a corner of the blanket, and revealed Penglaiji Ryn's little head, her face flushed from being stuffy.
"Seele told me that Bronya wanted you to join the Gray Moth squad, but Himeko refused. Are you sad because of that?"
Well, he shouldn't have said anything. Now that her sadness was gently brought up by a trusted family member, Penglaiji Ryn suddenly felt so wronged that she was on the verge of tears.
"Captain Himeko thinks I'm a newcomer and that I'll just get in the way, so she doesn't want me. She even said she'd be better off alone…"
"…"
Ryn really wanted to say, *Isn't that the truth?* But seeing that Penglaiji Ryn was already tearing up, he swallowed his words.
"Alright, alright, don't cry. Crying so many little pearls won't get you any money for them."
"Screw you. I'm about to cry and you're still joking with me." Penglaiji Ryn wiped the corners of her eyes, sat up, and punched Ryn.
Ryn took the punch honestly and then lay down on his side.
"Sadness turns to anger, but anger is also fleeting. Have you noticed that you're not so sad anymore?"
"??? Are you still dreaming? Who comforts people like that!"
Penglaiji Ryn's eyes widened in disbelief at Ryn. How could a person with a body temperature of 37 degrees say such tactless things.
"Ahem, ahem… that's not important. As long as you're not sad anymore, it's fine." Ryn coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.
*Damn it, this method of diverting the main point always works well for Kiana…*
"According to what the others at the base say, Himeko's personality has always been this cold and distant, the same towards everyone. Perhaps it's because the Gray Moth squad is always fighting on the front lines that she's developed such a steely heart. Or maybe it's because the casualties in the Gray Moth squad are too frequent, so she's become so impersonal and hard to get close to…"
"Mmm, I know. I'm not mad at Himeko, and I'm not sad… I just feel a little sorry for Bronya." Penglaiji Ryn sat up straight in bed and gave half of the blanket to Ryn.
"Bronya thinks so highly of me and even made all sorts of promises to Himeko. But in the end, Himeko still refused to let me join the Gray Moth squad."
"It's okay. Himeko didn't see your potential, so we don't have to go to the Gray Moth squad. When you weep for having missed the sun, you shall miss the stars as well.
Without the Gray Moth, we still have the permanent combat squad. Haven't these few days in the investigation team been pretty good?~"
"Mmm…"
——————————————
According to Yiselian's research, the insect-type new species have the characteristics of rapid reproduction and swarming. They must find their stronghold as soon as possible, eliminate the King Insect, and solve this problem.
No one wants to encounter them again in the future when they have already reproduced and grown to a point where they are impossible to fight.
The investigation team of Fire Moth searched the entire area near the base but found nothing. After careful elimination, Bronya deduced that their stronghold could only be in Homu Park.
Knowing that they were going to Homu Park to continue the investigation, Seele seemed particularly happy. Because Seele had never been to Homu Park, neither before nor after the Great Honkai Eruption.
Even though Homu Park was only about ten kilometers away from the base, Seele, who was busy with various base affairs every day, hadn't been able to find the time to go there in five years.
"Yay, yay~"
Seele skipped ahead of the squad, soon to arrive at the amusement park she had been dreaming of, and with her beloved Big Sis at that.
If it weren't for the group of people behind Seele carrying weapons in large and small bags, it would be hard to tell that Seele was on a mission and not on a trip.
"Wow… so this is Homu Park. It's even bigger than I imagined~"
Seele excitedly ran through the gates of Homu Park, spinning around a few times with her arms outstretched, wanting to take in all the sights of the park.
"Yes, and it's quite lively too. But we need to be careful. The Honkai Creatures here move in groups, so it would be troublesome to disturb them."
Seeing Seele so happy, Bronya didn't have the heart to interrupt her, but she still spoke up to remind her.
"Follow me. We'll go around the main gate. I know a shortcut that can save us unnecessary trouble."
"As expected of the omnipotent Big Sis~"
Ryn: "Bronya, have you been here before? You seem very familiar with this place…"
"Yes, but that was after the Honkai occurred. I never had the chance to see this park full of life… If it weren't for the Honkai, these cute Homus would surely have brought more smiles to everyone's faces…"
Bronya sighed regretfully. It was precisely because the Homu dolls in the park had brought a smile to the former Bronya's face that all the robots in Fire Moth were required by Bronya to be made in the likeness of Homu.
Unfortunately… even the cute Homus couldn't hide the panic and despair that the Great Honkai Eruption brought to people.
"But… although it's a bit of a regret, what I felt more at that time was happiness. Because there was someone who taught me many important things. Although it was only for a short time, it was because of that encounter that I am who I am today.
If I could meet her again one day… no, I will definitely find her!"
Bronya shook her head. What was the point of telling Ryn and the others all this? So she said no more and led the way to the shortcut.
As they walked along the shortcut Bronya mentioned, scenes from the past began to flash in Penglaiji Ryn's mind.
*Are these my memories?* Maybe… because the protagonists in the scenes were only Raiden Mei and Bronya, and she was watching from a third-person perspective…
Mei, in her school uniform, and a petite Bronya were playing together in Homu Park. Mei gently explained the park's facilities to Bronya, who had just regained her sense of self and was emotionally detached.
She also taught Bronya how to express her emotions and, to encourage her, rode the Homu Ferris wheel with her.
What a strange memory… why did it feel like I was very jealous back then in that memory?