HI3: Starting from the Previous Civilization

[General POV]

With a simple pack slung on his back—fashioned from woven straw—and a small suitcase rolling behind him, Master Bo (Hua's father) locked up the family's martial arts dojo for what might be the last time.

Hua, wearing a large backpack of her own, stood beside him at the front entrance. Glancing at the quiet courtyard and the drifting autumn leaves, she couldn't help feeling a tinge of melancholy. She wondered silently, 'Once we leave... when will we ever return?'

Finally, Master Bo finished setting the heavy padlock. He walked over, extending a hand.

"Hua, it's time to go."

Hua bobbed her head firmly, placing her small hand in her father's warm palm. One tall figure, one short one, they turned and stepped away from the deserted dojo, leaves swirling in their wake.

…

Meanwhile, back at the underground "Big Hollow" beneath the villa district:

A large group dressed in matching black suits, dark ties, and oversized sunglasses lined up, awaiting orders. Even Fan sported the same outfit. With a flourish, he spun around and waved.

"Let's move out! We're off to pick up our new martial arts instructor."

"Right, Boss! ヾ(;°▽°)ノ x N"

They struck poses like a horde of movie mobsters pledging fealty to the big boss, marching in lockstep toward the elevator.

From the sidelines, Dr. EINSTELN sipped coffee outside her lab, regarding the bizarre spectacle with a blank expression. A handful of newly developed "armed dolls" trailed behind her, some with starry-eyed curiosity. One doll decided to mimic the suits, pulling out a pair of oversized sunglasses from who-knows-where, placing them on its little face, hands on hips.

Watching this, EINSTELN sighed softly.

"So peaceful… I wonder how long these peaceful days will last. I suppose there's no going back from our path now. Still, it's for humanity's survival."

She reached over and rapped the faux-gangster doll lightly on the head, snapping it from its daydream.

"Come on, back to the lab. We need to analyze that 'Moonlight Throne System' data. It's key to fighting the Honkai."

As she turned, her thoughts drifted to a certain starship blueprint in the database. It seemed intentionally left there, half-finished, as if Fan wanted others to help refine it. Weapons systems, hull design, propulsion... everything was labeled with notes referencing 'Soulsteel'—the very metal EINSTELN had recently succeeded in producing.

"That boy's ambition really does run deep," she murmured. "He's eyeing space travel after the Honkai's over... or maybe something else entirely."

She gave one last glance at the rowdy "suit squad" boarding the elevator. Then she shook her head and returned to work.

…

[Mu Continent: Capital City Airport]

Tiny footsteps pattered excitedly across the glossy floors. Hua, having just disembarked, hopped along a few steps ahead of her father, eyes gleaming at all the novel sights.

"Wow..."

"Hua, slow down. You'll run into someone," her father warned.

Hua glanced back with a pout. "Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore—I won't make that kind of mistake."

Simultaneously, a commotion erupted near the airport entrance.

Fan strode forward in a sweeping brown coat, a candy "cigar" between his teeth, flanked by a dozen hulking figures in black suits and sunglasses. The high-profile entrance made security personnel twitch for their panic buttons. Travelers parted like the Red Sea, not daring to provoke this strange entourage—but of course, many lingered to gawk, phones at the ready.

Hua, still in full "wide-eyed tourist" mode, turned a corner at a brisk clip—and slammed face-first into Fan's chest.

"Oof!" She tumbled backward, hands clasping her reddened nose.

'It's like I crashed into a boulder!'

Instinctively, Hua mumbled in a youthful tone, "I—I'm sorry..."

Fan bent down with a friendly grin, ruffling her hair. "No problem—what an adorable little girl. Wanna go see some goldfi—"

He never finished. At this close range, Hua, startled by his looming figure and that odd grin, took half a step back and reflexively launched a short-range punch—"inch force," so to speak—directly into his most vulnerable spot.

"Gaaaaaah!"

Suddenly, Fan was hunched over, both hands cupped between his legs, letting out gasps of agony. Behind him, his black-suited crew fought to keep their composure—but Yan and Mu outright cackled.

"Haha... so the Boss just got laid out by a little kid," they thought, brimming with schadenfreude.

Of course, Fan noticed. Despite his haze of pain, he managed:

"You two... laughing... just wait... training doubled when we get back...!"

Yan and Mu froze in horror. 'One session is already brutal—two might kill us!' They pictured the dreaded "Jeep Training," where they had to endure repeated high-speed collisions until their Honkai-infused bodies slowly healed. This was far from an idle threat.

Meanwhile, Hua—feeling the intense aura of all those men in suits—instinctively slipped into a guarded stance. Inside her mind, she recalled seeing TV dramas where shady "mob bosses" dressed exactly like this, complete with underlings. 'If we don't escape, they might abduct us, pour cement around our feet, and throw us in the ocean!' she thought.

Master Bo, dropping his luggage, darted forward to shield Hua. He folded his arms respectfully, though his tone was wary:

"Apologies—my daughter acted on impulse. If there's any damage, we'll compensate you..."

But he glimpsed the men fanning out and braced for a possible fight. He could practically feel his muscles coil.

Fan, still wincing, waved off the apology:

"Hsss… no need... hsss…"

Master Bo's heart sank. "No need," said in a pained rasp? Surrounded by big guys in suits? This couldn't be good.

Fan barked at his men:

"What are you waiting for? Help me up! And, Mu... Yan… I heard your laughter loud and clear. Twice the usual training for you."

Yan and Mu pretended not to hear, peering out the window like enthralled tourists.

Once Fan staggered upright, he eyed Master Bo—who had stepped sideways to obscure Hua from view. The father's posture suggested he might strike at any second.

Then, to their mutual shock, Fan clapped his hands. His entire squad instantly formed a circle around Bo and Hua… and in unison produced party poppers.

Bang! Crash! Shreds of colored paper rained down.

The mobsters bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, exclaiming:

"Welcome, Master Bo, to our organization as our new martial arts instructor!"

Many of them had been suspicious about hiring some "no-name martial arts teacher," suspecting the Boss was humoring them. But after that explosive demonstration from little Hua, even the skeptics were thinking: 'If the daughter can do that, the father must be a real deal.'

Hua peeked out from behind her dad, blinking at the confetti with big, perplexed eyes. Master Bo, similarly frozen, just stood there, mouth forming a silent "Ah?"

[End of Chapter]

inch force, or one inch punch