"The mission to execute the traitors was assigned to me to command. At that time, I established a special team for cleaning up 'filth.' That team later became... well, never mind."
The cigarette on the table had burned out. The ashes fluttered down. The Chairman took out another cigarette and asked the people: "Do you mind if I light another one?"
"…"
No one answered him.
But the Chairman didn't mind, taking their silence as agreement.
Lighting the cigarette and placing it on the table, the man coughed twice and continued: "Two traitors from my original organization were witnessed by my subordinates. They violated regulations by forcibly using live humans as experimental subjects, most of whom were pregnant women and infants. They had been on the run for several years and were eventually killed by my own hands."
"Violated... regulations?" Einstein muttered the phrase, seemingly somewhat confused.
"Heh heh... Strange, isn't it?" The Chairman said to Einstein with a cold, mirthless smile. "When you joined the Fire Moth, this regulation had already been removed. Even though everyone outwardly opposed such anti-human behavior, as long as it was for the research and development of anti-Honkai weapons and medicine, we would turn a blind eye to secret human experiments."
"How is that possible?" Dystopia couldn't help but question. "All human experiments in the various labs are conducted only after obtaining the subject's consent."
"Obtaining consent? How many people would that be? Ten or twenty?" The Chairman flicked the cigarette ash and inhaled deeply. "Do you think the Fire Moth's advanced technology level came purely from normal development?"
"But the R&D personnel of the Fire Moth are all…"
The Chairman interrupted with a malicious laugh: "World-class."
"…"
"That's right, everyone is an elite and a genius. Then please ask the genius in front of us, or ask Dr. Mei and Dr. Mobius, if they need to be restrained by a moral bottom line to achieve the fastest progress?"
Himeko and Dystopia looked at Einstein's projection. At this moment, she was silently staring at the Chairman. When their gaze fell upon her, she simply closed her eyes and sighed softly.
The answer was already obvious.
"I admit your statement is correct, but people who retain morality also exist. They make up the majority of the Fire Moth, and the majority of humanity. So, even if there is darkness that can't bear the light, not everyone tacitly agrees that it is right and proper." Einstein opened her eyes, bracing one elbow with the other hand, and said to the Chairman, "You are using a false premise."
"Hmph." The Chairman did not deny it. "Let's continue talking about the past."
"After I executed those two traitors, I found their research result: a child who was modified starting from fertilization... No, starting from the egg and sperm cells, born via a test tube, and underwent consciousness modification surgery."
"A modified human who comprehensively surpassed humanity and unconditionally loved humanity."
The Chairman did not say the person's name. He said lightly: "After a preliminary diagnosis of the child, the first thing we did was to remove the regulation against human experimentation."
"You couldn't have..." Einstein's face was extremely pale. This near-explicit hint had already told her what the Fire Moth did to that child next.
Even Himeko and Dystopia realized what had happened then.
"We subjected that child to every extreme test we could think of, including the application of certain highly toxic drugs. Some of the toxicity of the drugs currently in the Fire Moth were tested out then."
"And of course, there was bone self-healing tests, brain memory tests, sleeplessness tests, oxygen and water deprivation tests..." He said with a cold laugh, naming one horrific experiment after another. "There were also some experiments whose names I can't recall, but they were no less cruel than these."
This even made Seele frown, but she quickly smoothed her brow and maintained her expressionless facade.
"In the end, that child survived all the experiments. Part of the reason was that others deliberately wanted him to survive. In any case, after eighteen experiments, the torment stopped, and we began to discuss... the child's ownership."
The Chairman's malicious smile was particularly chilling amidst the swirling smoke. He rubbed his fingers and said: "A comprehensively outstanding talent with incredible adaptability, who could withstand human experimentation, and most importantly, would not resist even if humans tried to kill him. This was a convenient tool that could be easily controlled."
"You are all vile scum." Himeko cursed under her breath.
"You're right," the Chairman said. "So, a particularly interesting situation arose: we became divided over the decision regarding that child."
Division?
"Heh heh... Yes, from that moment on, we were already divided, and it was over how to exploit a small child. It was then that I realized the hidden dangers within the Fire Moth."
The Chairman swiftly moved past the topic of the child, emphasizing his insight into the organization's internal structure.
"We can transform into the most terrifying demons, using any means necessary to ensure humanity survives, even if only 'Noah' remains, abandoning all human decency and dignity. That is perfectly acceptable." The Chairman's eyes were sharp, his words cutting. "We can also be the gentlest angels, uniting humanity to overcome this crisis, believing like naive children that human emotion can trigger miracles."
"But we absolutely cannot allow demons and angels to coexist. An indecisive, wavering organization cannot fight the Honkai, nor can it ensure humanity's survival."
"Humanity is already gambling, staking everything. So, regardless of who leads the way, the final destination—heaven or hell—is our own choice. But it absolutely cannot be this current situation, where a group of so-called elites with disparate values and conflicting goals stake the entirety of humanity as if it were child's play!"
When the Chairman reached his final statement, his gaze swept over them, his aura explosive.
After listening, Einstein finally understood the Chairman's reason for assassinating the other high-ranking officials.
The equal distribution of power among the high-ranking officials was intended to achieve balance when the Fire Moth was founded. Thus, no one, except perhaps Mobius, would willingly surrender their power to achieve absolute unity in decision-making.
"So, are you the 'demon'?"
"If humanity needs it, I can be anyone. In the end, it doesn't matter who the leader is."
"No, you lied," Einstein suddenly said. "Not anyone. You opposed Mei's MANTIS plan to prevent her from taking power after your purge was complete, because you had already witnessed the monster created by humanity itself—that child."
"...So what? That is my final wish as a human. Consider it my selfish desire. But now... it doesn't matter anyway." The Chairman gave a self-mocking laugh.
"But your plan has failed, Lin." Einstein snapped her fingers. A small figure walked out from the corner. "Allow me to introduce you to the latest result of combining AI, bio-robotics, and Titan technology—the Armed Puppet."
The red-haired puppet, holding a toy-like assault rifle, walked toward them.
"They have a special signal jammer inside them. I had them analyze the bomb's signal and then jam the detonation signal."
"After Dr. Mei's reminder, I realized that constantly guessing the method wouldn't catch you, Lin. After all, this is the Fire Moth, a culmination of human ingenuity, where excellent technology is constantly emerging. Even I couldn't know everything."
"So, I changed my way of thinking: if I were the killer, and my plan was not to seize power but to eliminate all the high-ranking officials, including myself, how would I proceed?"
"Ruthlessly, regardless of collateral damage."
The Chairman curiously looked at the Armed Puppet: "So you guessed there would be a bomb on the transport plane and sent out these little puppets to jam the signal?"
"Correct. However, you also placed a bomb on your own transport plane. So, I couldn't determine who the killer was by which plane wasn't booby-trapped until the detonation signal was sent. Only then could I know which transport plane's bomb hadn't been triggered."
"Heh heh heh…" The Chairman clapped lightly, smiling. "You truly are Dr. Einstein."
"No, this is Dr. Mei's credit. I merely borrowed the results of her deduction." Einstein said coldly. "Lin, accept judgment. As the demon."
The Chairman licked his dry lips and smiled ominously: "Hmmph... I said earlier that unlike ordinary villains, I only gloat after my plan is complete. That wasn't entirely accurate..."
Einstein's face changed: "Himeko, Dystopia, grab him now!"
Before she could speak, Himeko was already striding forward. Since her greatsword couldn't be fully swung in the confined space, she used the hilt to strike at Seele, who was blocking her path.
In terms of sheer force, she had the advantage!
"Clang!"
However, an astonishing scene occurred.
Seele, who was half a head shorter than Himeko, easily blocked Himeko's attack. A terrifying force transferred from the greatsword, pushing Himeko back.
"I always make contingency plans." He pulled a fox mask from his clothes and put it on. The chilling pattern glowed ominously. "And I never operate alone."
At this moment, alarms blared at the headquarters where Einstein was. Listening to the reports of others, her eyes widened.
"A person wearing a fox mask... attacked the transport planes? And they were all members of the Fire Moth?!"
"Your physical examination of headquarters personnel found no anomalies because the examining personnel were mine; your clue search consistently found no useful information because the search personnel were mine; the disconnection of communication between headquarters and the transport planes was also because the communication personnel were mine."
"They were not my confidantes or subordinates before this. They merely shared the same philosophy and ambition as me."
"No... I should say, we are the same person. We are the 'killer'."
Seele took a step back, took out a fox mask, and put it on. The scythe in her hand, which also couldn't be fully extended, let out a harsh metal grinding sound as it was disassembled into two halves.
Then, Seele gripped the two halves of the scythe and pressed the buttons on them. In the others' solemn gazes, they transformed into a pair of giant claws, the compressed metallic material filling the tips of the claws according to the analysis.
"Come on, the Great Purge begins."
The Chairman drew a pistol. The sound of it being cocked was crisp and decisive.