196. Hereditary Sexual Attraction
[So your purpose in becoming a MANTIS Warrior is merely to surpass me?] Ling listened to this absurd reason.
"Not entirely, it's just that I feel like I've reached my limit." Vill-V's face lost its usual smile as she said this calmly.
[Vill-V, you're already very powerful. As of now, there are only three people in the world who can compare to you.]
"Aren't you also a human?" Vill-V replied.
She knew which three Yun Ling was referring to: Dr. Mei, Dr. Mobius, and Einstein from the Mu Continent.
[Don't change the subject.] Ling's tone carried a hint of anger.
She always gambled with her life on completely unnecessary and risky actions. The success rate of the MANTIS Warrior experiment was less than 1%. How could Ling be willing to let her become that test subject?
"Sigh, you idiot little brother, why don't you understand? There's Ling, there's Vill-V, and those three people in the world, but do you really think humanity has ever truly won against the Honkai, even once?" Vill-V retorted.
She joined the Fire Moth after the Second Honkai Impact.
The First Honkai Impact caused Berlin to collapse; the Second Honkai Impact destroyed half of the Siberian Plain.
The Third Honkai Impact covered most of the Far East and parts of the coastal areas of Shenzhou; the Fourth Honkai Impact wiped New Zealand off the map...
The Fifth Honkai Impact froze the Golden Triangle region; the Sixth Honkai Impact reduced the population of three cities to ashes.
The Seventh Honkai Impact reduced all of Australia to ashes...
Humanity has never truly won against the Honkai; every victory comes at a heavy price.
Yes, the five most intelligent people in the world are working hard to fight the Honkai, but humanity has never truly won.
[I didn't know you'd become so righteous,] Ling said calmly.
"Perhaps you don't know me well enough," Vill-V hummed a little tune as she approached Dr. Mei, requesting that she undergo the MANTIS warrior surgery.
The surgery was unexpectedly successful, so successful that even Dr. Mei was somewhat surprised.
Moreover, the surgery seemed to have no side effects on Vill-V.
The Honkai Beast she fused with was named 'Lobona,' a spider-shaped Emperor-class Honkai Beast.
And the ability Vill-V gained was called… 'Mind Splitting.'
She could split off all the personalities she had previously imitated! This allowed her to focus on one at a time.
She first split off the 'Conductor,' who would act as the leader of the other Vill-V when she was absent.
However, it seemed that because it was her first time using it, she was a little clumsy and inadvertently infused it with too much of her own emotion.
Next was 'Great Magician'! The optimistic and cheerful Great Magician always brought a surprising atmosphere, an indispensable element for the 'counterintuitive' Vill-V.
Next up is the 'Mystic Scholar,' a somewhat withdrawn child, and a source of unforgettable, cringeworthy chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) memories for Vill-V.
Then there's the 'Lecturer.' Vill-V has a strange passion for educating others, but... basically, no one can stand being around a lunatic.
And then comes the main attraction—the 'Expert'! This accounts for almost 30% of Vill-V's talent! She deliberately allocated a larger portion to the Expert because the world needs 'Experts' to save it.
So, next comes the most crucial element, the embodiment of all her pride, and also the embodiment of all her dissatisfaction.
It accounts for 40% of Vill-V's!
Thus, a perfect tool, capable of working to perpetuate civilization, is born!
Of course, there's also the most, most, most important one: the 'Ego.'
Although she prefers the title 'Con Artist.'
Vill-V, accounting for 5%, is the least of her ego.
But she didn't care, because all she wanted was to see him...
In a simply furnished study, Vill-V slowly stepped forward and gently pushed open the door.
"As expected... in the world of mental images, anything is possible, isn't it? Ling."
Yes, she had finally met Ling. In this self-constructed world of mental images, a space capable of supporting the appearance of a spiritual entity could be created.
He existed; he wasn't an illusion.
"So Vill-V can cry too?" Ling stepped forward and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingers.
Vill-V quickly turned her head away, rubbed her eyes, and wiped away her tears.
She didn't want Ling to see her in such a state.
Then she turned back to look at Ling.
"Should I say it's been a long time, or... nice to meet you?" Vill-V elegantly removed her hat, her star-like eyes gazing at Ling.
"It's both been a long time and a nice meeting, my dear little sister," Ling said with a smile.
"I'm the older sister!" Vill-V retorted.
"Arguing now is useless. I can touch you." Ling decisively grabbed Vill-V's cheek and started rubbing it.
"You…you have no manners…" Vill-V stammered in response.
She had imagined this scene countless times—such close contact, such intimate actions.
After more than twenty years together, this was their first meeting, their first touch, their first embrace.
The first time she felt the other's warmth, the first time she truly knew of the other's existence.
She had also been afraid—what if Ling was just a figment of her imagination?
Now, all of this finally lifted the huge weight off her heart.
"How is it? Does it look different from the older brother you imagined?" Ling asked.
"He's much more violent than the younger brother I imagined! He even pinched my cheek…" Vill-V puffed out her cheeks, the spot where Ling had pinched her still slightly red, looking like she couldn't be coaxed.
"What else? Who told you to be so mischievous?" Ling rolled his eyes.
"But…this is my little brother, that's good!" Vill-V hugged Ling, inhaling his scent.
Ling gently patted her head, reminding her, "I am the older one."
Their relationship wasn't like that of siblings; it was more like that of lovers.
From the perspective of genetic sexual attraction, one theory suggests that siblings who don't grow up together possess an innate sexual attraction.
This attraction exists in the subconscious, and society usually considers this relationship taboo, requiring conscious suppression of this desire.
However, neither Ling nor Vill-V had ever considered such social norms.
Instead, they had an impulse to pursue the forbidden.
Moreover, they had always lived together; their relationship transcended any kinship or blood ties; they were inseparable.
Vill-V had always looked forward to and longed to see Ling.
She wasn't just trying to prove Ling's existence, but also to convince herself of his existence. Therefore, at their first meeting, that deep affection had already transformed into an even deeper love.
...