Honkai Impact 3rd: Catching the Herrscher of Sentience at the Start

"...She took something of ours." Fu Lin was silent for a moment before pointing at Stelle in the distance, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"What did she take?" March asked suspiciously.

"That trash can she's holding. It has all our belongings in it. If we don't get it back, my sister and I will go hungry," Fu Lin said pitifully, hugging Fu Shi and squeezing out a tear.

"Ah, yes, that's right." Fu Shi looked at Fu Lin speechlessly. Who would put all their belongings in a trash can? There's no way anyone would believe this... unless...

"That's so tragic... I'll help you get it back right away!" March 7th put away her bow and gave the two dust-covered figures a sympathetic look. It was clear they hadn't bathed properly in ages.

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"... She actually believed it!" ⊙▽⊙ Fu Shi widened her eyes, surprised that someone would actually believe such an absurd excuse.

"..." Fu Lin scratched his head awkwardly. "She's already this naive, yet I still deceived her. I'm such a terrible person."

"March..." Dan Heng looked at March wearily. The two masked individuals in front of them were clearly not normal, but there must be something important in that trash can.

"... You two, come here. Let's settle this face to face," March 7th said, realizing the situation, hands on her hips as she glared at the two, almost having been fooled by them.

"No problem." Fu Lin pulled Fu Shi along and followed behind March, eventually arriving in front of Stelle. After March explained, Stelle shook her head while holding the trash can in her hands, clearly unwilling to open it. "No way, absolutely not. Not in this lifetime."

Noticing the two masked figures behind her brightening up, Stelle pretended to look around nonchalantly and discreetly hid her phone with one hand.

Stelle clasped her hands together and pleaded, "Stelle, please open it. Why are you holding onto it?"

Despite the reluctant look in her eyes, Stelle still grabbed the trash can lid.

As the trash can opened, a dazzling golden light flashed. Inside, a golden sphere floated quietly, accompanied by a red spear standing upright beside it.

"Dan... Dan Heng, it's a... a Stellaron!" March pointed at the items inside, so excited she could barely speak.

"You're kidding me~" Fu Lin waved at the three and dragged Fu Shi toward the distant elevator.

"Chase them!" Dan Heng gripped his spear and quickly pursued them. March 7th drew her bow and fired several shots at Fu Lin, but all were easily blocked by him. Nonetheless, she successfully bought Dan Heng a few seconds.

Fu Lin sidestepped Dan Heng's spear thrust, pulled him forward, and executed a shoulder throw, then continued running toward the elevator.

"Seele, Bronya, stop those two!" March 7th shouted at Seele and Bronya, who appeared ahead of the two fleeing individuals.

Hearing March 7th's call, Seele and Bronya looked at Dan Heng, who was lying on the ground, in confusion. Realizing the urgency, they quickly drew their weapons.

"I'll handle these two." Fu Shi smirked wickedly, pulling out a peculiar artifact and stabbing it into the ground. Before Seele and Bronya could react, countless red chains suddenly rose around them.

After some struggle, Seele and Bronya ended up tightly bound face to face. Embarrassed, Seele turned her head away, unable to meet Bronya's eyes.

Passing by, Fu Lin happened to witness this scene. For some reason, he felt a pang of jealousy and asked, ".....Are you trying to pair them up?"

"...I'm not, I didn't, stop talking nonsense," Fu Shi shook her head and adamantly denied it.

"Ugh, they got away." March 7th stomped her foot in frustration, furious that they couldn't stop them even with so many people.

She then turned to Dan Heng, still lying on the ground, and angrily asked, "Dan Heng, how long are you planning to stay down?"

"I think we might have misunderstood them. They're not bad people," Dan Heng calmly stood up, picked up his spear, and said.

"Huh? Then why were you chasing them just now?" March asked, bewildered by the sudden change of perspective.

"They had the chance to take the Stellaron when they saw it, but instead, they left. That means their goal was just to show it to us."

"Perhaps they placed it in the trash can in the first place to make Stelle notice it, but they didn't expect Stelle to carry the trash can around," Dan Heng explained, rubbing his forehead and recounting his thoughts to March.

"Then who could they be?" March asked, putting away her bow and placing one hand on her hip.

"I don't know...." Dan Heng's mind flashed back to Fu Lin and Fu Shi, but he couldn't be sure it was them.

"Sniffle, sniffle~ How could this happen...." Hearing sobbing from behind, Dan Heng and March turned around in confusion, only to fall silent: "...."

"Why is it not shiny anymore after opening it..... My dream trash can!"

"I knew I shouldn't have opened it, sniffle sniffle (?o﹏o?)" Stelle crouched on the ground, wiping the trash can with her clothes repeatedly, but she couldn't restore its original appearance. Tears welled up in her eyes.

The spear and Stellaron were discarded to the side like garbage.

"Should we comfort her?" March 7th's lips twitched as she scratched her cheek and turned to Dan Heng, her usual go-to for solutions.

"...You go." Dan Heng closed his eyes, thought for a moment, and finally uttered two words.

"How about we settle it with rock-paper-scissors? Loser goes." March 7th looked reluctant, glancing at the nearby residents who were spectating. She extended her hand toward Dan Heng.

After a brief silence, Dan Heng nodded in agreement. To March 7th's disbelief, he won the match.

"Hehe, how about best two out of three?"

"Don't walk away, Dan Heng!" March 7th puffed her cheeks and tugged at Dan Heng's sleeve as he turned to leave.