When Ming Yu slowly awoke and saw the familiar ceiling, he knew where he was. His heart instantly tightened. Had he really been hit with some inexplicable curse, to be hospitalized after every major event?
Just as Ming Yu's mind was wandering, the door opened, and an orange figure strode in energetically.
"You're finally awake, kid. I thought you were trying to get yourself killed," Himeko said sternly, stopping by the bed with her arms crossed.
"Hehe~" Ming Yu was also a little embarrassed. He was about to scratch his head when he realized both his hands were in thick plaster casts.
"You still have the nerve to smile!" Seeing Ming Yu's awkward grin, Himeko's anger flared up. "Your hands were almost crippled. During the assessment, they were covered in blood, with several broken bones. I really thought they were done for."
Hearing this, Ming Yu felt a little nervous and couldn't help but ask, "So what about now? They're not going to be permanently damaged, are they?"
"Hmph!" A flash of anger crossed Himeko's face. "Now you're worried? You don't even know your own limits, yet you wanted to challenge a Templar-class Honkai Beast. People like you are the first to die on the battlefield."
After the scolding, Himeko's expression softened slightly. She said, "Your hands are recovering quickly. The doctor said that at this rate, the casts can come off in a few days."
"Is that so," Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "Then why did you scare me, Miss Himeko?" It seemed his body's recovery ability was quite impressive.
Himeko rolled her eyes at him. *Don't you have any self-awareness? If I don't scare you like this, how will you ever learn?*
After checking on Ming Yu's condition, Himeko continued, "Regarding your assessment, based on the strength you displayed, you should have received an 'Excellent.' However, due to your overconfidence, you can only barely pass this time. If this happens again, you can expect to retake the test!"
"Huh?" Ming Yu was a little unwilling. He had, after all, single-handedly fought a Templar-class Honkai Beast. Even if he lost, shouldn't he get a perfect score for his courage or something? "But didn't I defeat the Templar-class Honkai Beast?"
"Oh?" Himeko suddenly leaned in close, staring into Ming Yu's eyes, and said mockingly, "Who told you that you defeated a Templar-class Honkai Beast? You merely broke one of that big guy's legs. If I hadn't stopped the assessment, your little life would have been over."
Ming Yu's heart skipped a beat. Thinking back carefully, it seemed that was indeed the case. It looked like a Templar-class Honkai Beast was not something he could handle at his current level; even crippling one of its legs had been so difficult. In the end, his attack power was insufficient. The weapon used in the assessment was, by any measure, only at a one or two-star level, completely inadequate to cause significant damage to a Templar-class Honkai Beast. But this was also because high-level weapons often had high requirements for their users. For the average Valkyrie trainee, a weapon of three stars or more was simply beyond their ability to wield.
High-level armaments usually needed to be supplemented with matching Valkyrie battlesuits. This was especially true for weapons driven by Honkai Energy, which performed better when paired with the Honkai Energy reactors in the battlesuits. Only a few special armaments like Project Bunny could be deployed independently, but a compatible battlesuit could still enhance the weapon's power. And those powerful battlesuits could only be equipped by B-rank Valkyries and above, as only they could resist the erosion of the Honkai Energy within the armor. Without sufficient ability, powerful armor was nothing but poison. Fully armed, a Valkyrie's abilities could be enhanced across the board, which was the fundamental reason humanity could fight against the Honkai.
Seeing Ming Yu's reaction and knowing that he understood, Himeko nodded to herself. She pulled over the nearest chair and sat down, stretching out her long legs and crossing her right over her left. Staring into Ming Yu's eyes, she spoke in an incredibly serious tone, "Let's cut the crap. You can now explain why you chose the Templar-class Honkai Beast, can't you?"
Ming Yu's heart tightened; this was not an easy question to answer. If he told the truth, he would have to reveal his plan to obtain the Divine Key, which was absolutely out of the question. Neither the Stigmata nor the Divine Keys were things someone of Ming Yu's level should be involved with, and explaining would likely expose other secrets. But if he didn't tell the truth, he couldn't think of a good excuse on the spot.
Suddenly, an idea struck Ming Yu. Hadn't Theresa and the others previously speculated that he belonged to a mysterious organization? Perhaps he could push the blame onto them. Of course, if it were a non-existent organization, they would inevitably find flaws in his story. It would be best to pin it on a real organization. And Ming Yu happened to know of just such a mysterious and powerful organization.
"It was 'The Serpent,' the place I used to be in." Ming Yu instantly became a drama king. He lowered his head, cast his eyes down, and said timidly, "They are very strong. I'm afraid they will find me."
World Serpent. Before Ming Yu transmigrated, it was a mysterious organization that had only appeared a few times. Based on the strength they had shown, they should not be weak. Of course, the key was their mysterious nature. Besides, Ming Yu didn't have a favorable impression of this organization. If he could throw them under the bus while getting himself out of trouble, that would be great. If not, it didn't matter; it was just a casual move anyway.
"The Serpent?" Himeko was somewhat stunned. She hadn't expected Ming Yu to reveal such significant information. She had asked about his past over the last month, but he had refused to answer every time, either changing the subject or suddenly walking away. This time, he had actually given the organization's name.
In fact, Himeko didn't really agree with Theresa's speculation. No matter how you looked at it, Ming Yu seemed like an ordinary person. Even if there were some unusual circumstances, like his Honkai Energy resistance and strength, he ultimately wasn't that special. He didn't seem like someone who had been through major storms; he couldn't even hide his own emotions well.
However, when Ming Yu really said a name, and connecting it with his behavior, Himeko felt she was close to the truth. Perhaps Theresa was right, and this Ming Yu really came from a mysterious organization?
But then, no matter how Himeko questioned him, Ming Yu just shook his head, refusing to say another word.
*How am I supposed to know the answers to your questions?* Ming Yu was screaming internally. *This is just an excuse I came up with on the spot! How would I know about 'The Serpent'? I've never even been to this mysterious 'World Serpent' myself, so how could I possibly tell you?* Ming Yu was well aware of the principle that the more one talks, the more mistakes one makes. A statement with a mix of truth and lies is more believable than a pure lie, especially when he himself didn't know the facts. The more he said, the more loopholes would appear. Himeko's knowledge of 'The Serpent' was probably deeper than his own. If she saw through him, it would be over. So, it was better to let her fill in the blanks herself.
Seeing that she couldn't get any more information out of Ming Yu, Himeko was at a loss. She had no intention of using harsh methods on her student. She stood up, straightened her slightly wrinkled uniform, and said, "About that organization, if you want to talk about it later, you can come find me anytime. I'm leaving now. You should get some proper rest."
Watching Himeko's back as she left, Ming Yu let out a sigh of relief, his tense heart finally relaxing. *That was mentally exhausting.* But at least it was over. Ming Yu silently gave himself a thumbs-up.