Chapter 883

It stood stubbornly, as if it were the last watchman.

In this near-pure black world, the faint light of the small house, though not brilliant, was exceptionally warm, like a gentle heartbeat, telling the world that life still existed here.

Walking to the door, Alice knocked gently on the door frame.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A moment later, footsteps sounded in the room, then the door was slowly opened, and a man appeared behind it.

He looked a bit old, estimated to be over fifty.

As Alice and Christina sized him up, he was also sizing up the two visitors.

He was vigilant for a split second, but it immediately turned into surprise.

"Don't be nervous, sir, we mean no harm," Alice comforted him gently.

"I know," the man nodded in response, but the surprise did not fade from his face.

"I just find it incredible, after all, in this world after the apocalyptic catastrophe, and..."

His gaze swept up and down over them.

"Still two little girls."

Instantly.

Christina assumed a defensive posture; if this man made even the slightest move, she wouldn't mind letting him experience a heavy punch powered by her exoskeleton.

Apocalypse Iron Fist, kid!

As for Alice, she silently raised her camera, framing the man.

She only needed to press the shutter, and once the photo was printed, his life or death would be entirely in her hands.

Violence was quite common after the apocalypse descended.

The ethical and moral order that humanity had spent thousands of years building dissolved in the rain, collapsing into nothingness along with the passing years.

Even in the most stable cities, there was soil for social Darwinism to breed; the strong oppressing the weak became a matter of course, even justified.

And two young girls without a background disappearing in the wilderness was nothing out of the ordinary.

They might sleep in the dirt, live in some prison, perform in some place that couldn't see the light, or live inside a few people.

Ah, this...

Realizing the offense in his words, the man hurriedly raised his hands to signal peace, his eyes revealing sincerity and apology.

"Don't misunderstand, I don't mean anything by that."

He stepped aside, allowing Alice and Christina to see the situation inside the house.

Three children of different ages were playing happily.

"I was just sighing."

Alice put down the camera she had been gripping tightly and asked:

"Where is this? How come only you are left?"

"This is Walkwood, a city destroyed by a blizzard over thirty years ago."

The man leaned against the door frame, watching the children playing in the room, his doting eyes carrying a hint of deep melancholy.

"That blizzard buried most of the houses and also broke the tower."

"The cold wave that followed killed a large batch of the remaining people."

"My father was the chief engineer of Walkwood at the time; he went to repair the tower but never came back."

"It was I who found the shelter key kept at home, which allowed a few survivors to come in and take refuge, escaping a disaster. Among them was my future wife."

The man sighed deeply and continued:

"Now, everyone else has passed away, leaving only me and the children to depend on each other."

"I don't want to go anywhere else; I'll just die in this city where I grew up and which gave me endless pain."

Christina looked at the carefree children in the room and suggested:

"Are we just going to stand here? Can we go in?"

"Oh, of course, please come in."

He made way, but added a puzzling sentence: "If you can."

"What do you mean?" Christina was stunned, her foot hanging in the air, not landing.

"It's because of that, right?" Alice pointed to the roof.

Christina followed her finger.

On the roof, there was a mechanical component with an indescribable shape.

It was pulsing as it operated, blue liquid flowing from the void into the pipes and then back into the void, as if a heart were beating.

"That is the core component of the tower, an activated Reality Stability Anchor."

"But without the amplification of the tower, with its own output, it can only affect this small house."

"If you go in, you will be affected by the retrocausality and turn into fly ash."

Christina turned her head to look at Alice:

"What about you?"

She had said she had undergone some modification surgery.

Alice explained: "I am a 'Messenger'. The modifications I've undergone make me almost immune to retrocausality. However..."

She turned to look at the man and asked the question in her heart:

"The main function of the tower is to filter the rain."

"After the rain stops, the tower's only remaining function is to stabilize reality and... accelerate time. What is the purpose of simply keeping the tower's core at home?"

The man looked back at the children immersed in joy:

"It's indeed not very good to chat standing here."

"Let's go outside and talk."

Dear book friends,

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, I send my sincere blessings to each and every one of you.

In the past year, we have spent many unforgettable days together, exploring the fantasy stories in Honkai: Star Rail and the Foundation.

Your support and encouragement are the driving force for me to move forward and are the most precious wealth on my creative journey.

In the new year, I wish every book friend more happiness and laughter. Whether in reality or between the pages of a book, I hope you can find your own brilliance.

In the new year, I will continue to work hard to bring you more interesting stories.

Finally, thank you again for your company and support.

May the joy of the New Year be with you, and may you have everything you wish for, good health, and a happy family in the Year of the Dragon and every day to come!

Soaring like a dragon in the sky! Happy New Year! ===== CHAPTER 885 =====