Chapter 5: Rescuing Soldier Bai Hang

Heimu finally couldn't hold it, placed a hand on his forehead, and let out a wail: "…Do I have to die today? One Bolka isn't enough, buy one get one free, huh? Have I, Heimu, been cursed for eight lifetimes to get into this mess? Or is my fate so hard that people keep coming to kill me again and again?"

It seems a keyword triggered something; the System Panel suddenly began flashing again, and it looked like it was about to start playing a hymn—

"Stop! Stop!"

Heimu hurriedly waved a hand to stop, feeling utterly weary, "Stop the hymn! Think of a plan first! I can't possibly go to work with a double kill order on my back, can I?"

The System Panel fluctuated violently a few times, and the Q-version Black Tower Head on it turned into a (??? (??? (??? *) pattern of intense contemplation.

A few seconds later, it seemed to have found a solution:

"Solution: You may apply to invoke the 'Secondary Shelter' permission reserved by Star God Aha for 'Joy'. This permission can generate a layer of Concept-level Disguise Membrane, greatly confusing and masking the aura of the 'Surgical Knife' mark on you, preventing the two Bolkas from directly locking onto you. However, note that the disguise is not absolutely perfect; if you actively use power beyond the limit, or encounter extremely high‑intensity detection, there remains a risk of exposure."

Heimu listened to the system's explanation, gently adjusted the wide brim of his Mo Nu Mao, letting a few strands of ash‑white hair fall smoothly across his chest.

She inhaled deeply; despite a torrent of inner sarcasm, she outwardly regained an unruffled, elegant demeanor.

"So that means I have to be like a clumsy infiltrator—cautious, not reckless, and also find a way to give Aha some fun while saving up to repair myself…"

She concluded, a hint of resigned helplessness flashing in her violet‑black eyes, yet with a spark of eagerness, "Fine, at least… it doesn't sound boring. So, when do we set off?"

The System Panel lit up with a teleport‑preparation glow, and the Q-version Black Tower Head made a "please" gesture: "Ready at any time, my respected, elegant, soon‑to‑embark‑on‑the‑'Joy' journey, Black Curtain Lady."

Black Curtain Lady felt as if someone had kicked her out of the void; the solid feel under her toes made her stagger, nearly falling—if the elegant Lolita Dress in the System Space even had feet. Instinctively she steadied her forehead, and the wide brim of her Mo Nu Mao swayed slightly.

"The teleport experience deserves a one‑star review…" she muttered softly, opening those dull‑shining violet‑black eyes.

What met her gaze was not endless pure white, but a cosmic veil dotted with distant starlight.

The icy vacuum, even shielded by an unknown force, seemed to seep through.

She stood on the surface of a barren, silent small asteroid, the ground beneath her uneven, pitted gray rock and soil.

"Hey, system, which corner did you dump me into…"

Before the complaint could finish, Heimu lifted her head, only to feel as if her throat were strangled, all sound stuck there.

She couldn't help inhaling a gasp of cold air, even though there was no air to draw in.

In the distance, an interstellar war beyond her imagination unfolded.

Countless ancient‑looking, majestic Star Chariots and Mengtong Giant Ships formed an all‑covering array, their emitted energy beams raining down like a storm, concentrating on a target—a marvel that should never exist in the vacuum of space.

A tree of incomprehensible size.

Its roots seemed to pierce space itself; the trunk glowed an ominous blood‑yellow, and as its branches unfurled, they exuded a heart‑pounding, massive life force and a twisted, terrifying pressure.

The giant tree itself seemed a living disaster.

From it, countless silhouettes shot out continuously; their forms varied, but most retained humanoid shapes, each wrapped in abundant karmic ties, fearlessly charging the Xianzhou fleet, launching attacks in various bizarre ways.

Opposite the giant tree, farther away, a larger shadow floated.

It was a vessel whose scale rivaled a planet, endless to the eye; its cold metallic structure reflected a ghostly glow under starlight, like a silent primordial beast, standing in remote opposition to the blood‑yellow giant tree.

"I… go…"

Heimu subconsciously tucked her neck in, glanced left and right, deftly ducked behind a massive meteorite, then cautiously poked out half a head, the ash‑white hair under the brim falling along her shoulder.

She patted her relatively flat chest, whispering, "Where is this again? The last time I saw such a grand scene was when I was dismissed on the spot during my 'previous job (Emperor III)'…"

A thought sparked, summoning the System Panel. The black‑purple interface unfolded silently, clearly listing the Task:

【Current World: Honkai Star Rail (Parallel Timeline – Xianzhou Alliance period – Shuhuo Chaos)】

【Main Task: Rescue "Bai Hang" and successfully bring them out of the current timeline.】

【Task Hint: Target's life state has entered final countdown.】

【Anonymous benefactor's supplied equipment: Substitute Dummy (oddity, can simulate a person, not a command tool)】

Below is a bright red numeric countdown that keeps decreasing.

Seeing "Bai Hang" and "Shuhuo Chaos", Heimu instantly understood her situation.

She curled the corner of her mouth, eyes again fixed on that ominous giant tree.

"So… that thing was produced by the 'Abundance' command's Shuhuo Chaos? Those flying ships are from the Xianzhou Alliance, and that huge vessel is the Luofu Xianzhou Main Ship, right?"

She muttered to herself, quickly sorting out the situation, "The task is to pull Bai Hang out… the system is quite considerate, even gave a Substitute Dummy."

Her gaze fell on the ever‑ticking countdown, feeling her own nerves throb in sync.

"This is pure death‑pressuring… this must be Bai Hang's life countdown, right?"

Time is pressing!

Heimu closed her eyes, inhaled deeply—despite there being no air.

No more hesitation!

"Deploy!"

She let out a low shout, centering on herself, an invisible, formless ripple spreading instantly like water ripples at faster‑than‑light speed.

The ripple swept over the battlefield, over the clashing soldiers, over the massive ships, and over that blood‑yellow giant tree.

In almost an instant, Heimu "saw"!

In the most dangerous core of the battlefield, a sleek Star Chariot surged with resolve toward the root of that Giant Tree.

Inside the Star Chariot, a woman with long pale‑purple hair and blue eyes wore a calm, relieved smile, her finger pressing a device emitting dangerous white light.

It's her!

Bai Hang!

Yet this reckless probing was like casting a boulder onto a calm water surface.