Putting Bronya Zaychik down, Shu and the others followed the group of Homus.
This time, Bronya walked quietly at the back of the group, maintaining her stoic expression, not saying a word, as if the person who had just gone crazy over a Homu wasn't her.
"Bronya," Kiana Kaslana whispered, bending down slightly at the back of the line. "How did that Homu feel? Was it different from a doll?"
"It had more resilience than a regular Homu... cough cough..." Bronya answered instinctively, but cut herself off mid-sentence.
She shot Kiana, whose face was brimming with curiosity, a rather resentful look, then sighed helplessly.
Did this Kiana really think Bronya's earlier actions were genuine?
Bronya glanced sideways at a tiny, hidden mechanical device behind the yellow Homu's almost non-existent neck, then looked back at Kiana with exasperation.
Shu had definitely noticed it; that's why he shook her to make her let go.
But if Shu could see it, there was no reason Kiana couldn't have seen her own little maneuver...
"Hehe... I was just curious!" Kiana said with a grin, rubbing her hands together eagerly.
Bronya: "..."
Up ahead, Shu continuously observed everything visible along the path.
The path under their feet was paved with small pebbles. On either side were lush lawns and various exquisitely trimmed topiary sculptures.
Numerous Homus dressed as gardeners wielded pruning shears larger than themselves, diligently trimming branches.
Their work attitude was serious yet filled with a cheerful energy that even began to infect Shu...
Shu suddenly realized he could sense the emotions of these Homus?!
The grotesque creatures in ARC City were one thing; they were once human, after all. But these Homus weren't even people!
Could it be...
A horrifying thought struck Shu.
Could all the Homus here be made from humans...?
Immediately, Shu discreetly scanned all the Homus present again, including the gardeners by the roadside.
"Composition remains fabric, cotton, and trace amounts of Honkai energy, estimated around 20 HW," Ai-chan's analysis quickly came back.
"Ai-chan's analysis is infallible. These Homus contain no human components," Ai-chan emphasized.
Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
Being able to sense emotions did have its benefits. So far, Shu hadn't detected the slightest trace of malice. These Homus' hearts were filled entirely with enthusiasm and curiosity.
Except for the yellow Homu, which seemed to have developed some psychological trauma... but still held no malice.
Their emotions were as pure as those of real Homus... Perhaps these were real Homus?
Shu quickly dismissed the strange thought and double-checked the layers upon layers of protective barriers surrounding himself and the girls.
The pebble path was long. They followed the paji-paji-walking Homus for several dozen minutes before reaching the end.
Along the way, Shu counted a total of 419 Homus, assigning a number to each one.
"Whoa—!" An exclamation of awe came from behind. Shu turned around to see what had appeared at the end of the road... huh?
Shu's mouth fell slightly open, his eyes wide with shock as he took in the sight before him.
What stood before them now was a colossal city wall, easily ten meters high, not even counting the height of the gate tower on top.
The main gate alone, made of wood reinforced with iron sheets, was nearly seven meters tall.
A wide moat stretched across their path, its surface calm, clearly an artificially dug channel.
On the opposite bank of the moat, a massive drawbridge stood vertically, its length suggesting it was the bridge meant for crossing...
Shu looked at the towering city wall, then down at the Homus in front of him, none reaching higher than his knees.
"This is... the Great Homu Kingdom?!" Shu swallowed hard. This time, his hesitation stemmed from sheer disbelief.
"Homu homu! (That's right! This is the main gate of the Great Homu Kingdom!)" the lead Homu declared proudly, placing its stubby hands on its hips. "Homu mu! (Everyone built this together!)"
Shu took a deep breath. "You guys... are truly amazing..."
He couldn't even complain. This feat of engineering was genuinely grand... almost defying the laws of physics.
Shu glanced back again, giving the others a meaningful look.
Should we turn back? There might still be time.
The others, having just recovered from their shock, saw Shu's signal. After a moment of silence, the vote was two to one in favor of venturing further in.
Bronya cast the vote to return.
The lead Homu turned around and waved towards the opposite bank. Shu then saw two Homus dressed in British Royal Guard uniforms pull down a lever on the other side.
Clank—
A loud mechanical groan echoed from beneath their feet, making everyone instinctively tense up.
This was followed by the dull grinding of gears as the massive drawbridge on the other side began to slowly lower.
The thickness of the bridge itself was greater than Shu's height. The lead Homu beckoned them forward, guiding them onto a platform directly facing the lowering bridge.
If Shu guessed correctly, the bridge would perfectly align with this platform once fully lowered.
The final segment of the bridge's descent slammed down, the immense structure kicking up a small gust of wind that ruffled Shu's hair and made him squint.
The platform and bridge connected seamlessly. Shu couldn't help but stare for an extra moment before, at the lead Homu's invitation, he nervously took the first step onto the massive structure.
This sense of awe was different from seeing skyscrapers in a city. The skyscrapers were taller, much taller than this wall.
But this city was wide! So wide you couldn't see either end!
Skyscrapers, though tall, could be bypassed. But this city wall stretched imposingly before them, making any thought of going around or over it seem utterly futile.
The Great Homu Kingdom... truly worthy of the name "Great."
Shu's expression gradually grew serious, his previously cautious steps subconsciously becoming more formal and measured.
It was a posture he only adopted within the Fire Moth organization.
They crossed the bridge. At the city gate, two lines of Royal Homu guards stood at attention on either side, presenting their ceremonial rifles and saluting the group in unison.
Then, with the sound of grinding gears, the ornate and heavy gate swung open, revealing the cityscape within.