The Explorers each took out black boxes and placed them in Chu Ran's hands. "A welcome gift."
Chu Ran felt the weight and started to refuse, but Lei Jianguo stepped in front of her and accepted on her behalf. "Thank you, thank you."
Maria glanced at Lei Jianguo. "You're just like Huang Ni."
Lei Jianguo grinned broadly, his hand behind his back pushing Chu Ran's hands to quickly put the gifts away. "You flatter me."
Maria's eyes swept over his black eye and bleeding mouth. She snorted coldly, then led her companions toward the monument.
Lei Jianguo touched his black eye ruefully. "Bad luck this time. Of all the Explorers, it had to be this big shot."
Edwood and Gao Yuan held their stomachs, silent.
Bad luck!
Seeing Chu Ran's questioning look, Lei Jianguo didn't explain much. "Keep these gifts safe. I hope you never have to trouble one of the Eight Elders of the Explorer Association."
An激昂 battle tune rang out.
Lei Jianguo's expression turned serious as he turned toward the monument. "Let's go. The memorial service is starting."
Before the three monuments,
the Central Star representative, Edwood, and Maria stood in the first row.
The others stood behind them in order.
Intense piano music filled the air. A phantom of the Zerg appeared behind the monument, followed by unceasing gunfire and human corpses scattered everywhere.
Amid the darkness, the Human Federation emblem, with crossed guns and sword rising over a sun, appeared in the phantom.
Spiritists wielding Creations to cut off Zerg heads, Explorers in mechas blasting through Zerg chests, and massive star fleets broke through the emblem, standing tall behind the tombstones.
"Humans and Zerg will never cease until one side is destroyed!
One day, we will kill every last Zerg!"
A loud roar erupted.
"Salute!"
Everyone slapped their right hand to their shoulder and bowed in unison.
Suddenly, a wind blew from afar, carrying the grief and remembrance of humanity, surging down from the high steps and rushing toward the rebuilt high-rises in the distance.
Sunlight fell upon the tombstones.
Bouquets of flowers remained fresh.
At the cemetery gate, Professor Hu stood by a flying car, looking at the monument in the distance.
"The wreckage of Mythos Three has been recovered," Hu Meng reported.
When Mythos Three arrived at Old Street, it was just in time for the burst of white light. The mecha exploded completely, but luckily the core chip was not damaged.
Professor Hu didn't speak. She had heard the final roar at the end.
"This result is beyond my expectations," she finally said calmly.
"Either I don't know enough about the Divine Fruit," Professor Hu looked at the layers of white tombstones, "or she had some other fortuitous encounter."
"Her body, tempered over many years, couldn't withstand the Spiritual Power she possessed—completely opposite to the development I hypothesized."
Hu Meng remained silent.
"I've recorded everything about her since birth, but now it seems the data still has gaps," Professor Hu turned to Hu Meng. "Are you sure that recently she only went to the Garbage Dump to kill a few people and meet those two bait?"
"Or her previous suicide attempt..."
Hu Meng hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Professor, no matter the reason, we can't make any moves now."
There were too many eyes watching Chu Ran.
"I know." Professor Hu was calm.
She withdrew her gaze from the monument. "She's going to the Third Training Institute, right?"
"That's perfect for comparison, to see which step went wrong."
Hu Meng opened the car door. "You're not feeling well. Let's go back early."
Professor Hu didn't move. Her gaze fell on the distant monument again. After a moment, she raised her right hand to her shoulder, bowed her head, and bent forward.
May you rest in peace.
Chu Ran watched Maria and the others walk down the steps. One of them wore a prosthetic limb, walking with an uneven gait.
"They could have taken a flying vehicle up," Chu Ran remarked, watching him struggle down step by step.
Lei Jianguo stood beside her, rubbing his stomach. "They've all been on the battlefield. Walking to the monument is a sign of respect for the deceased and for themselves."
Chu Ran nodded in understanding, then looked at a tombstone a dozen steps below.
Chang Han was crouched in front of it, wiping away dust with his hand.
"Is that his family?"
Lei Jianguo followed her gaze. "Yeah, his older brother. Died in a battle."