Phantylia's master plan was as simple as it was lethal.
During the Luminary Wardance, factions from all across the universe converged on the Luofu. The sheer chaotic interweaving of countless different Honkai energy signatures created a massive, turbulent vortex of information.
This severely jammed the Matrix of Prescience's monitoring and intelligence-gathering capabilities. Undoubtedly, it was the absolute perfect time to pull some shady shit behind the scenes.
Furthermore, after successfully shooting down Crychic's squad—the only unpredictable variable in her plan—she utilized various methods to perfectly mimic the communication styles and encryption habits of Yunli, Fuli, and the others.
She continuously broadcasted fabricated messages back to the Taixu Frontline, reporting that everything was normal and proceedings were going according to plan, creating the flawless illusion that the squad was simply carrying out a routine mopping-up operation.
If any other squad had plunged into Bubble Universe 1025 and faced such a hopeless situation against a terrifying, planet-sized enemy, Phantylia's scheme might have actually succeeded.
At the end of the day, from the moment Crychic breached the atmosphere and got ambushed by an army of two hundred thousand, to the exact moment Fuli in his Ruin Author Form executed the Hoolay clone, a maximum of thirty-six hours had passed.
In such an incredibly short timeframe, the Luofu high command—which was already swamped with coordinating various factions, handling the complex logistics of the Luminary Wardance, and being fed fake intelligence—would have found it practically impossible to react efficiently and accurately assess the situation.
That is... assuming Fuli wasn't in the squad.
After that certain ear-cleaning service involving a simulated mourning hall and a widow-violation roleplay concluded, the boy and Fu Xuan had reached a very specific agreement.
During the Luminary Wardance, he was required to report to the Seat of Divine Foresight at a specific time every single day. His stated objective: to assist her in "developing her frontal armor plating."
The goal was to bolster her prestige and vividly display the magnificent, towering majesty of a Luofu General through her increasingly plump and perky "results."
As for the actual process...
Even though the young General constantly scolded him with sharp remarks like, "How improper!" and "Be gentle, you brute!", the occasional look of profound satisfaction that slipped onto her face—one she didn't even realize she was making—heavily implied she was growing quite addicted to this unique form of "nourishment."
So, when the daily sessions suddenly stopped, Fu Xuan instinctively felt an uncomfortable, hollow sense of loss.
Thus, in the dead of night, the Eye of Divination General casually sent a short message. Her wording was as cold and strictly professional as ever, simply inquiring about the progress of his mission and his estimated time of return.
Initially, the communications were entirely normal. At the time, Fuli was still on the starskiff, the voyage to Bubble Universe 1025 was smooth, and his replies carried his usual, infuriatingly flippant tone that always managed to spark a fire of annoyance in Fu Xuan's chest.
However, the moment their starskiff pierced the atmosphere of the target bubble universe, all the subsequent replies started to feel... off.
As an absolute master of manipulating human hearts and emotions, Phantylia could flawlessly mimic Yunli's fiery arrogance, Castorice's ethereal melancholy, and even Fuli's unique blend of mockery and seriousness. In terms of formatting and vocabulary, her disguise was airtight.
But even if you killed Phantylia, there was absolutely no way in hell she could ever imagine the incredibly private, downright shameless encrypted conversations that took place between Fuli and Fu Xuan!
Let alone the tacitly understood codewords unique to the two of them, like "cultivation progress," "tactile adjustments," and "the efficacy of today's energy infusion"!
Just like that, Fu Xuan realized something was terribly wrong.
She didn't immediately call it out and risk alerting the enemy. Instead, forcefully suppressing her surging anxiety, she connected to the Inner Landscape—the virtual library that manifested as a collective node for cosmic information streams.
She inputted a series of keywords: Bubble Universe 1025, Borisin, Crychic... and began frantically filtering, calculating, and deducing through the oceanic stream of data.
Guided by the subtle intuition born from the impossibly tangled, heaven-ordained karmic bond she shared with Fuli in the IF timelines, and utilizing her absolute pinnacle divination skills, Fu Xuan worked through most of the night.
Finally, she managed to piece together the fragments and uncover Phantylia's grand conspiracy.
"Good! Very good! The grudge from ten years ago hasn't even been settled, and now you dare to weaponize a Living Planet again?!"
Old grudges and new hatred violently fused together, igniting a raging inferno of sheer fury in the General's heart!
Slamming her hand on the desk, she immediately stood up and broadcasted a maximum-priority emergency rescue directive to every squad participating in the Luminary Wardance ceremonies!
It wasn't that the Luofu had no troops to send. It was because, when facing a Living Planet, the standard Xianzhou armies might actually become a liability.
One of the most terrifying innate traits of a Living Planet was its ability to emit a specialized magnetic field that triggered and drastically accelerated the Mara-struck condition.
Years ago, Jingliu's home—the Cangcheng Xianzhou, once the most prosperous ship in the Alliance—collapsed from the inside out and completely fell due to this exact phenomenon catching them off guard.
In the dark abyss of space, the demon star known as Rahu wailed and sang. Dragging burning mountains and shattered earth, it hurled itself toward everyone.
On the long streets, people screamed, struggling and thrashing in apocalyptic despair as golden vines relentlessly sprouted from their mouths, noses, and every orifice.
Though it remained unconfirmed whether Phantylia's newly crafted Living Planet was as devastatingly terrifying as the "World-Devourer, Rahu" that Shuhu had vitalized with his own hands all those years ago, Shuhu had indeed loudly proclaimed he was going to pull off a massive spectacle during this Wardance.
No matter how furiously her blood boiled, Fu Xuan absolutely refused to gamble the safety of the entire Luofu on that possibility.
That being said, according to the rhetoric of certain bureaucrats and pessimists within the administration, dispatching their highly valuable Wardance squads to rescue the trapped Crychic squad was a terrible idea.
"These idiots are saying that since Crychic plunged into a Living Planet and their status is 'unknown,' that must mean they're dead!"
The moment Yuno landed on the surface, countless massive, incredibly thick trees violently erupted from the ground, growing at breakneck speed.
In the blink of an eye, they formed three impenetrable layers of vibrant, living wooden barriers, heavily isolating and protecting the weakened Fuli.
She snorted coldly. "If I hear one more brain-dead comment like that, I'll stab my own eardrums out!"
"You really ought to be stabbing the eardrums of the people who said it..."
Kaguya, landing a half-step slower, couldn't help but interject with a deadpan retort. She then shifted her gaze to the center of the forest barrier, where Castorice was carefully supporting Fuli.
She wasn't the only one. Many of the rescuers who had successfully descended through the Gates of a Hundred Worlds had clearly heard Durandal's earth-shattering interrogation.
Gazes full of curiosity, teasing, or indescribable, profound implications casually swept over the entirely burnt-out Fuli. A subtle, highly expectant atmosphere saturated the air as everyone seemingly waited for his response.
"What's this? What's this? Whoever saves your life gets you to offer yourself to them? Ah-Li, is Big Sister telling the truth?!"
Kiana was actually yelling at the top of her lungs, clearly terrified that the world wasn't chaotic enough, completely oblivious to the fact that she—the self-proclaimed official fiancée—was the biggest victim of that statement.
Wait, no. The actual biggest victim was probably Bianca, the one who had asked the question.
If nothing else, Raiden Mei had previously squatted under a table right in front of Bianca and given Fuli "artificial respiration," performing the act for a good long while before realizing the boy's mouth was actually on his face.
"Everyone, My Lord simply misspoke! He definitely didn't mean it like that!" Castorice desperately tried to step up and defend Fuli.
The problem was, no one took her seriously.
Who the hell are you to interject? Back when I was making out with him, you were probably still turning tricks in some alleyway!
Of course, the vast majority of the gazes directed his way—including those from Yuno and Kaguya—were primarily filled with good-natured teasing and the excitement of watching a trainwreck unfold.
After all, many of their relationships with Fuli hadn't quite reached the "marriage-discussion" stage; it was mostly just a deep mutual affection.
But you couldn't account for someone like Anna, who took the statement completely seriously!
Meanwhile, facing the intense glares converging on him from every conceivable angle, Fuli's mood was identical to a cloudburst in a desert—sweating bullets.
Regarding his gratitude, that was absolutely genuine. When faced with survival, all other excuses seemed trivial and hypocritical.
But since survival is guaranteed now... shouldn't I be allowed to be a little hypocritical?
"Ah! It hurts, hurts, hurts!"
Little Li instantly activated his acting chops. His face twisted as he let out incredibly pained groans, sighing and gasping dramatically in a desperate attempt to act cute and slip past the interrogation.
Everyone ignored his performance and continued to stare.
Realizing his miscalculation, Fuli caught a glimpse of the warm, gentle white light still continuously healing him. His eyes darted around, and a brilliant plan formed in his mind.
"Ah! I just remembered! The one who healed me first was actually the Deva Path! Which means, strictly speaking, the one who saved my life first is actually Little Miyuki!"
"Eh? EHHH?! M-Me?!"
Standing quietly next to Yuno, Miyuki Asakura jumped in shock. She pointed a slender finger at herself in utter disbelief, her cherry-blossom hair fluttering wildly in her panic.
Receiving Fuli's solemn nod of confirmation, her adorable little face instantly flushed bright red.
Acting on pure instinct, she whipped out a massive paper bread bag and shoved it entirely over her head. Performing a flawless turtle-shell maneuver, she attempted to completely isolate herself from the myriad of meaningful stares zeroing in on her.
"Why are you hiding?!" Yuno watched in absolute exasperation. What a perfect opportunity! Just claim your territory and mount him right here!
"Oh? If that is the criteria..."
A gentle voice drifted closer as Princess Tribios, draped in an elegant white robe, walked gracefully toward them. "As the one who opened the dimensional portals for everyone... do I not possess the qualifications to compete for the title of the Knight's savior, and perhaps secure a certain... priority right?"
In truth, just as Topaz had half-jokingly complained upon arriving, from a purely commercial perspective, this cross-universe rescue operation was operating at a massive loss.
These big shots weren't some broke freelancers scrambling for pennies. There was absolutely no logical reason for them to personally step into such a horrifyingly dangerous death trap just for some Luminary Wardance points.
Yet, Topaz came anyway.
Not just her. Asta, the pampered IPC heiress; Tribios, who was initially only visiting the Luofu as an observer; Houraiji Kyoushou, who was currently attempting to hack into the Living Planet's core.
Even the sky itself was now echoing with Robin's highly penetrative, angelic singing, actively inspiring everyone and counteracting the psychic pollution and maddening whispers emitted by the Living Planet.
The reason they had all universally chosen to come—and the reason even more figures were currently fighting their way through the Gates of a Hundred Worlds to gather here—all boiled down to one thing.
Whether their first encounter was beautiful or disastrous, every single one of them now shared a karmic bond with Fuli. It varied in depth, but it was a bond they absolutely refused to sever easily.
It could only be said that Phantylia had inadvertently set up the perfect chain-trap, and Fuli had happily marched right onto the guillotine.
Even though he hadn't actually been the one to say "offer myself," facing so many friends who had risked their lives to come to his rescue, he genuinely didn't have the face to flat-out deny it.
So, bracing his heart and squeezing his eyes shut, he unleashed a roar filled with the tragic resolve of a man with nothing left to lose, tinged with a genuine shred of emotional gratitude:
"Why does it have to be offering myself to just one person?! Why can't I be a public bus?! Why can't I belong to everyone here?!"
It was as if an angel had abruptly flown across the sky. The entire battlefield fell into an eerie, dead silence for a split second.
"Oh my, my friend~"
Argenti gracefully swept away a surge of corrosive energy with his crimson lance. Hearing Fuli's declaration, he let out a radiant, entirely tolerant laugh. "What an... incredibly broad-minded and remarkably generous proclamation!"
"Hahaha! Being too popular sure is a sweet kind of agony!"
Boothill roared with laughter, the revolvers in his hands spitting blinding muzzle flashes. "Given how hard I'm busting my ass to help you out here, brother! How about we just completely wipe all the debt I racked up on the Hyperion?"
Yeah, keep dreaming.
"Oh? A... public... bus?"
Durandal repeated the phrase slowly, a remarkably "friendly" and freezing smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Kiana cracked her knuckles, her azure eyes flashing with a highly dangerous glint. "It appears the poison in Ah-Li's system has thoroughly invaded his internal organs. If you ask me, the only viable cure is to sever his five limbs immediately, then hide his main body in a basement. Otherwise, he won't survive the century!"
Unless Fuli could immediately pull a flawless Harvard-level legal defense out of his ass, he was definitely getting beaten half to death.
"Li-bao!!!"
"Doo-doo!"
Right at this highly critical, life-or-death moment, a sleek, highly advanced, silver-white mecha roared down from the sky.
The cockpit hatched opened, revealing a highly anxious Hyacine and Little Ica.
Knowing her friend's incredibly high medical expertise, Castorice didn't block them this time. She allowed Little Ica to whip up a gentle cyclone, lifting the weakened Fuli out of the encirclement of angry women and carefully depositing him inside the mecha.
The second Fuli's feet touched the deck, his eyes were immediately drawn to Vill-V.
Her signature dual-toned hair was strikingly eye-catching. Her voluptuous figure threatened to burst out of her heavily modified steampunk overalls, and her incredibly long legs were tightly wrapped in tall boots, displaying a heart-stopping curve.
"Yo!"
The Great Inventor of the Helix Craft casually waved a greeting. Her tone was light and breezy, acting as if she were in her private workshop rather than an apocalyptic battlefield.
Fuli let out a massive sigh of relief, speaking from the bottom of his heart, "Thank you, Vill-V. Your timing is literally perfect!"
"Just a 'thank you' isn't gonna cut it, you know?"
The steampunk beauty's smile grew even more deeply meaningful. She leaned down, her ample cleavage forming a dizzying arc. Bringing her glossy, lip-glossed mouth right next to the boy's ear, she lowered her voice into a sultry, breathy whisper.
"Come on... call me Big Sister~"
"Sister!"
The boy happily rode the momentum. When it came to matters of pride in this specific department, his integrity was permanently operating in the red. He shouted it out crisply and loudly, without a single shred of psychological burden.
"Please step aside! Let me examine the patient!"
Hyacine rushed over anxiously, lugging a heavily stuffed medical kit. She dropped to her knees beside Fuli, preparing to give him a thorough checkup.
Staring at the girl's cute, slightly dirt-smudged face and her delicately furrowed brows, a random thought popped into Fuli's head.
"Hey, Hya-bao, did you know? They say a true doctor's skill is measured by how many people they've treated. Or, to put it another way... the more people a doctor has accidentally killed, the more brilliant their medical skills become."
"? Li-bao, what are you even saying?!"
Hyacine looked utterly horrified. She immediately slapped her hand against Fuli's forehead, seriously wondering if he had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury during his intense fight with Hoolay.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Kiana stared at the silver-white mecha shrinking into the distance and clicked her tongue.
"Tch... runs fast. I'll put it on his tab. We'll settle this score slowly once all this is over."
She stylishly drew her dual pistols, aiming the searing muzzles at the writhing, advancing biological tissues of the living planet, and shouted loudly:
"All forces, hear my command! Advance and engage! We fight until the bitter end, and ascend to heaven upon our own blades!"
"Isn't that just a thinly veiled plot to get all your romantic rivals killed in action? I could hear the gears turning in her head from the other side of the planet," Yuno muttered, standing nearby with her arms crossed, mercilessly pointing out Kiana's actual goal.
Despite her grumbling, Yuno still slipped on a pair of the Nezha's Bracelets.
A golden-green light flashed as a pair of massive arms, constructed entirely from pure, condensed life energy, solidified by her sides.
She shouted loudly, "Asakura! Give me a—!"
Before she could even finish her sentence, a holy light—symbolizing a massive, astronomical boost to Honkai energy recovery rates—enveloped Yuno's body. The synchronization was flawless.
Feeling the torrential surge of boundless power roaring through her veins, the girl flashed a wildly confident, maniacal grin.
All four of her arms slammed their palms together violently.
CLAP!
"Abundance: Deep Forest Emergence!!!"