Dan Heng's pupils trembled, and even his words shook.
"On top of transferring pain and suffering, it burns… your body and mind. Every time you use it, you're one step closer to the end…"
"Don't tell the others."
Leon's voice was soft, but its weight was more than Dan Heng could bear.
Countless players' minds exploded, their hair standing on end.
[???]
[What end? Mihoyo, explain yourself!]
[What other end could it be? Pulling this right at the start—I can't even imagine what's next!]
[Fast-forward to the Express crew left with just the protagonist. I want rivers of blood. I'm not crazy, hahaha!]
[Who doesn't go crazy eating a knife?]
"I'm such an idiot…"
Ah Xian was crestfallen, her eyes full of regret.
"In the lower district, I chose to act cute to get Leon to help and got curious about the Healing Wind technique… I never thought they'd plant a knife here…"
"Mihoyo!!! I (bbb telegraph sound) your mom…"
Her outburst of colorful language showed just how shattered she was.
"…Don't use it anymore. At the very least, I'm not worth you burning yourself like this," Dan Heng said, his expression conflicted.
"To gain something, you have to pay an equivalent price."
"But I can't figure out what we could possibly give you in return."
Leon smiled, sidestepping the question. "Dan Heng, do you believe in fate?"
"…I don't know." Dan Heng thought briefly and shook his head.
"That's the fate of the Sky Haven Clan. We don't live for it, but we live because of it."
"I want to break that fate, so it's worth it."
Dan Heng was silent. "What we've discussed today won't reach a third person."
Leon smiled. "Thanks. Do you know anything about acupuncture points?"
Dan Heng: "I've dabbled."
"I can't muster enough energy to apply needles accurately to myself right now. Could you help me out?"
With that, Leon pulled out a row of silver needles.
The scene shifted back to Belobog. The main quest updated, directing the player to return to the Express to check on Leon's condition.
Ah Xian suppressed her emotions, silently opening the map to teleport back to the observation car.
She desperately wanted to know if Leon would hide such a severe injury and the truth about his abilities.
In the observation car, Dan Heng was gone, and Leon was sitting on the sofa, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.
Approaching and pressing F to interact,
Leon: "Didn't expect you to beat Himeko and Welt back. So, everything's settled, right?"
His voice sounded off, lacking its usual vigor.
Players who picked up on his weakness felt another pang of heartache.
March 7th: "Pretty much. Cocolia, she…"
Leon: "Before you answer, let me check your pulses."
Stelle, confused, extended her hand. "What's up?"
"Taking your pulse."
Leon placed his fingers on March 7th's wrist, then Stelle's.
"March is fine, but Stelle, your body took on too much external power in a short time. Any stabbing pains?"
① "My whole body hurts, my life's at its end!"
② "You're worrying too much, I'm perfectly fine."
"He's the one who's injured, yet he's still so worried about us…"
Ah Xian held back a sob. Seeing option one made her tremble.
She'd never dare pick it, fearing Leon might use the Healing Wind technique again and make her feel even worse.
But in her panic, she accidentally clicked option one.
"Damn it! I picked the wrong one!"
March 7th: "Huh? When you were sprinting ahead of me in the lower district, I didn't hear you complain about any pain."
Stelle: "The pain's catching up with me now. What can I do?"
March 7th crossed her arms. "Spill it. Are you faking it because you got a taste of Leon's Healing Wind technique and want more?"
Stelle's eyes widened in denial. "How dare you tarnish my good name like that?"
"Good name? I see that fake exhausted look on your face—you're just asking for a beating!"
Real exhaustion doesn't look like Stelle's act.
Stelle laughed. "Just kidding! Leon's injured—how could I ask him to ease my fatigue—"
Mid-sentence, she seemed to realize something.
"—Speaking of which, Leon, can't you use the Healing Wind technique on yourself?"
Seeing this, Ah Xian, who'd been on edge, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Leon shrugged helplessly. "Racial limitations, so no. Pretty lame, right?"
"Not really… Oh, wait, speaking of race, how do I give your wings back?"
Stelle's back sprouted Leon's wings.
"Turn around."
Leon placed his palm on Stelle's back, and the wings turned into streams of light, returning to his body.
"There. Used to flying yet?"
Stelle scratched her head. "I adapted pretty fast. Flying's awesome, but yeah, it's exhausting."
Leon smiled without explaining further.
No need.
The transfer was mainly for life-saving; flight was just a bonus.
Non-Sky Haven Clan members couldn't wield the wings freely.
Stelle: "Thanks, Leon. If those wings hadn't blocked Cocolia's attack, I'd be a goner."
"The wings are amazing. One blink, and my wounds were gone."
"And they can even grow on someone else. How's that work?"
March 7th's face lit up with curiosity too.
She hadn't known Leon's wings could be used by others.
"And another thing—growing from your back without tearing your clothes? That defies physics."
Stelle's tone lightened, brimming with curiosity, easing the heavy mood of many players.
Normally, nobody cares about such anime logic, but she actually asked.
They were curious about Leon's answer.
"A long time ago, the Sky Haven Clan's everyday clothes had openings at the back for wings."
"But for certain occasions, we couldn't wear clan attire, and those used to flying found it hard to keep their wings tucked away."
"So, clan sorcerers worked together to devise a technique to detach the wings, altering our bloodline."
"After that, our wings gained a special phasing ability, allowing them to be stored in our bodies to conceal our identity."
Leon revealed half a wing and turned his back to Stelle.
"Touch the spot where the wing connects to my back, and you'll get it."
Stelle reached for the wing's base, and her hand passed right through.
March 7th, watching, gasped in awe.
"So cool~"
Leon retracted his wing. "I was just messing with you. You actually bought it?"
Stelle froze.
March's head sprouted a question mark.
"Huh? That's not it?"
"Of course not. It's not that simple. Just teasing you."
Leon grinned playfully.
"It's actually a protective measure to prevent the wings from being cut off in battle, because…"
"Because if they're cut off, they won't grow back or reattach."
"After the bloodline change, Sky Haven Clan wings gained incredible regenerative power and can phase or solidify at will."
"As long as the wing base isn't severed, even if half is sliced off, it regenerates quickly."
March 7th had a realization. "Like those terrifyingly regenerative Abundance races?"
"Similar, but it's limited to the wings."
Stelle nodded thoughtfully. "Got it. Pretty neat—overcoming a weakness, huh?"
"Naturally."
"But it also made one thing easier—"
"What?" March blinked her big eyes, brimming with curiosity.