Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

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"This is a solar-powered water pouch with built-in filtration and heating capabilities. When there's sunlight, simply attach it to your gear to recharge. It's waterproof, shockproof, and resistant to electrical damage, but don't expose it directly to fire; the materials can't withstand it. Whether it's snow or stream water, even muddy water in emergencies, it'll manage to filter them adequately. Here's one set of three: one for use, one spare, and another backup spare. This ensures you won't run out of water while outside, so don't lose them."

"This is a camping kit with tools like a hammer, knife, rope, sleeping bag, flashlight, insect repellent, alarm, and bandages. It'll ensure you can sleep safely when roughing it outdoors or on the streets—make sure to carry it properly."

"Over here, these two bags—one contains your favorite snacks, and the other has dried provisions, compressed foodstuffs. The taste might not be great, but they'll keep you full. Don't forget them either."

"These are various types of clothing; I picked durable ones that won't wear out easily."

"And this, most importantly, is the black card. No matter where you are or which bank, as long as there's an internet-connected ATM, inserting this will link to my account, allowing you to withdraw local currency. I assume you know how to spend money?"

"Bla-bla-bla..."

After Vera had already fallen asleep, Kia and Zeke sat facing each other on the living room floor, surrounded by items scattered all around.

Zeke meticulously explained each object, then packed them up. Eventually, he organized everything into several bundles suitable for Kiana to take along.

Meanwhile, halfway through his explanations, Kiana's eyes had glazed over, forming spirals of confusion.

Seeing her state, Zeke sighed helplessly.

"I knew you wouldn't remember everything, so put this on."

Zeke took Kiana's hand and placed a black metal bracelet around her soft, fair wrist.

"This is a tracking bracelet, voice-controlled, to help guide you along your journey. Additionally, I've integrated Icarus's core code, so it can connect with all these supplies. The rest will continuously record any wear and tear... In short, it's very useful, so don't take it off once you put it on."

The primary function of this device was actually to allow Zeke to track Kiana's location in real-time.

No, there were no creepy motives behind it.

Simply put, Zeke had several pieces of equipment still under development, which he planned to remotely deliver to Kiana using the bracelet's tracking capabilities once they were completed. By binding them to her, these devices would ensure her safety—much like Iron Man summoning his armor from afar. The bracelet served as the essential component for this functionality.

Kiana gently caressed the bracelet—it fit perfectly, neither too big nor too small, comfortable to wear and aesthetically pleasing. Truly, only something crafted by Zeke could be so exquisite.

Then, almost magically, two more identical bracelets appeared in Zeke's hands.

"They're the same model. Always have three copies of crucial items: one primary, one backup, and even a backup for the backup. Make sure to keep them with you."

"Got it. So... anything else?"

"Also, here's a gun and ammunition. When you're out there, even if you don't intend to harm anyone, having a means of self-defense is crucial. However, what I want you to pay attention to specifically are these."

Zeke held two sets of magazines in each hand, totaling four. The black shells featured attractive purple patterns, as if sealing some power within those intricate designs.

"The regular bullets aren't worth mentioning, but these ones are infused with trace amounts of Honkai Energy. They have six times the velocity and penetration compared to normal bullets, along with Honkai Energy's unique destructive and corrosive properties. For ordinary people, even a minor scratch from these could be fatal. There are sixty rounds in total, serving as ultimate killing weapons. But once you start using this pistol, it won't take long before you run out, so use them sparingly."

By the way, the source of the Honkai Energy for these bullets was Kiana's own bodily tissue.

Kiana swallowed hard, then suddenly realized something, her eyes widening.

"Hold on, how do you know about Honkai?"

"That's not important; just trust that I know. Lastly, I'm actually quite hesitant about this, but better safe than sorry... The black one is a Honkai Energy induction solution, and the white one is the antidote. Remember this clearly; getting it wrong could cost you your life."

Zeke's expression turned unusually grave.

Kiana sat up straight, blinking earnestly with unwavering focus.

However, remembering her usual carefree and impulsive nature, Zeke found himself even more hesitant.

Should he really entrust this to her? Would it inadvertently increase her danger instead?

After a moment of contemplation, his concerns about potential disastrous scenarios took precedence.

Holding two distinct-colored syringes, Zeke spoke emotionlessly:

"The black one is the induction solution. After injection, a small amount of Honkai Energy will first significantly enhance your physical abilities, repairing all minor injuries. Then, the latent Honkai Energy within your body will be activated, leading to a brief period where your physical capabilities will rapidly escalate exponentially."

"However, swiftly, the escalating concentration of Honkai Energy will surpass your body's tolerance limit, causing you to deteriorate. Your consciousness may also become corrupted by the Honkai Energy... Although there hasn't been practical validation yet, conservatively speaking, you have three minutes—within those three minutes, you must inject the white antidote."

"During this period, injecting the white antidote should effectively control the surging Honkai Energy. However, if you exceed that timeframe and allow the concentration to reach a certain threshold, nothing can prevent your collapse and death."

"Using special bullets is manageable—you'd just need new pistols. But employing these solutions carelessly could cost you your life. So listen carefully: First, do not use them unless it's a desperate situation where your life hangs by a thread, with no other options available—don't even entertain the thought. Second, the black one is the induction solution; after injecting it, you have only three minutes before you must administer the white antidote. The shorter the interval, the less strain on your body and the safer it becomes.

"Do you understand?" Zeke leaned forward, nearly face-to-face with Kiana, his gaze intensely locked onto her eyes as he asked in the most serious tone possible.

"Yes, I've got it," Kiana replied solemnly.

Zeke maintained eye contact for a moment longer, then slowly placed both syringes into designated compartments within his backpack right in front of her, zipping them securely.

"In any case... take care of yourself out there. If you run into trouble, contact me anytime—either by phone or posting on that forum you frequent. Let me know your location and what's going on, and I'll come to help. In areas without cell towers, even my custom-made phones can't guarantee connectivity. However, as a last resort, your bracelet can transmit a boosted signal once, connecting to a satellite, so I can locate you. Remember this option for emergencies."

"Got it, thanks." Kiana grinned widely.

A long silence fell between them.

For someone saying goodbye for the first time to someone they cherished deeply, she didn't know what else to say.

And for one witnessing the farewell, having already given all necessary instructions, there was little more to add.

After a while, Kiana stood up, attaching each pack to her body sequentially. She stretched, finding the weight manageable and not hindering her movements at all.

"Well then, I'm off."

"...Yes."

"Please give Little Vera my farewells too."

"I will."

"Take care, Zeke!"

"..."

Zeke silently watched her.

He observed as she leaped off the balcony, bypassing the front entrance entirely, skillfully vaulted over the garden wall, and stood there on top of it. Turning back with a radiant smile, she energetically waved goodbye to him.

Then, completely vanished from Zeke's sight.

Leaning against the balcony railing, Zeke looked up at the moon—still the same moon, but perhaps due to the late hour, he felt a chill setting in.

"Icarus, what was Kiana's Honkai Energy intensity just now?"

"Minimum value: 936.23; peak value: 1003.16; average value: 953.53. Would you like me to display the real-time graph, Mylord?"

"No need... Bring me a cup of hot water, and some cake."

"Yes, Mylord."

This disparity explained why Zeke could only watch Kiana depart.

The basic unit for these values represented his own Honkai Energy intensity averaged over twenty-four hours.

In other words, when idle, the flow of Honkai Energy within Zeke equaled 1, while Kiana's approached nearly 1000. This ratio roughly indicated the difference in their adaptability to Honkai Energy, as well as the strength they could harness during combat.

Generally speaking, as one's body matures, exceptional individuals experience significant growth in their abilities, while someone like Zeke might barely manage to increase from 1 to 2 or 3 at most.

With such limited potential, surviving Void's single outburst was already sheer luck. How many more dangers could he withstand, and how much could he contribute during critical moments? The prospects were utterly despairing.

Wouldn't his bravery in accompanying Kiana only make him a burden?

Zeke poked at the cake that Kiana loved, hesitating before taking a bite. After a long moment, he put down the fork and murmured involuntarily:

"I think I forgot to provide her with transportation. Maybe she should have taken some hand grenades too. Oh right, I didn't prepare a translator—what if she goes to a country with a different language? And her identification... Speaking of which, will those few provisions last her for several days?"

As he muttered these concerns, unbeknownst to anyone else, a sense of loneliness finally surfaced on Zeke's face.