Gloomy, unsettling, dangerous, bizarre…
Stepping into the familiar grounds of The Deep End once again, Fu Li found it strange that he didn't feel the warmth of coming home.
When he thought about it, both Mobius's laboratory and The Deep End were places that would make one's skin crawl, yet he had always felt an unusual affinity for them.
Just why was he feeling so uneasy this time?
Tap… tap…
The layout was the same as before.
The entrance was narrow at first, barely allowing a single person to pass. After several dozen steps, it suddenly opened up into a wide expanse.
"Welcome, traveler from a distant land."
As if she had been expecting him, a gentle voice like the fluttering of butterfly wings sounded. The familiar figure of the nun emerged. Before her sat two cups of tea, still steaming.
"Mm. A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Miss Aponia."
Seeing the familiar person, the unease in Fu Li's heart dissipated, and he naturally sat down across from Aponia.
Truly… not a single shred of vigilance… my dear Priest…
Aponia's gentle smile curved upwards slightly, showing a hint of pleasure. In the depths of her eyes, a poison named 'possessiveness' was slowly spreading.
But… not yet…
"Indeed, it is our first meeting, Mr. Li… You have been the one funding us all this time, haven't you?"
"Actually, I am very curious. Why would you help us? Especially knowing that those children are afflicted with the Honkai Sickness?" Aponia asked gently, her words laced with a probing intent.
Although she was almost certain that her Priest retained memories of the cycles, she had no way of knowing what his secrets were.
Was he doing this for her? Or for someone else? Like Mobius, or Eden? Or… someone else entirely?
Unconsciously, Aponia's hand tightened around her teacup.
"Er… about that," Fu Li said without panicking, offering an explanation.
"It was because of the last will of one of my comrades. He was an orphan from Twilight Street and stayed at your sanatorium as a child. Before he died, he entrusted me with taking care of you."
"As for why I invited you to The Deep End, it's because I accidentally discovered they all had Honkai Sickness, so I wanted to bring them here for treatment."
"Is that so? I see. Thank you, Mr. Li."
Hearing this explanation, Aponia did not refute it, appearing completely convinced.
However…
That is a lie. Seen through in an instant.
Aponia's gaze sharpened.
A deceased friend. There was no way to verify the story, was there?
Although, in a sense, the reason was valid. For example, if the 'friend' was himself.
The subsequent conversation was nothing more than discussion about treatment. Aponia chatted with him as if she had never known him before.
Just like a spider weaving its web, one must have patience.
"Thank you again for your help, Mr. Li."
"Haha, it's nothing. It's my honor to be able to help you."
After bidding farewell to Aponia, Fu Li shook his hands. He couldn't shake the feeling that beneath this harmonious facade, a dark undercurrent was surging.
Especially when they shook hands at the end, why did Aponia deliberately trace a line on his palm? That didn't seem like something she would do.
It must have been an accident. After all, even if she can see fate, it's impossible for Aponia to have memories of the previous simulation.
Shaking his head, Fu Li laughed at himself and dismissed the strange thought.
And after Fu Li's figure disappeared, Aponia released her grip on the teacup, her gaze profound.
The teacup, at some unknown point, had already shattered into pieces.
---o---
[You left The Deep End.]
[In the following days, Destoria underwent the super-soldier surgery, becoming the first MANTIS capable of using telekinesis.]
[Not long after, Aponia and Eden also submitted applications to undergo the surgery. After a moment of consideration, you approved both of their requests.]
[The surgeries for Eden and Aponia were successful, making them some of the first MANTISes.]
[Shortly thereafter, the Eighth Herrscher descended, causing a massive number of deaths almost instantly.]
[After Su became a MANTIS, you coordinated to eliminate it ahead of schedule, saving Destoria, who had been on the verge of death.]
[Following that, you ambushed the Ninth Herrscher in advance, attempting to preemptively deal with this simpleton who exposed himself the moment he became a Herrscher.]
[Unfortunately, as you equipped the Void Hand, Soul Probe and prepared to extract the Core, the simpleton sensed the danger and accelerated its self-detonation.]
[Although you survived the blast thanks to your powerful physique, the Mu Continent was wiped out in one fell swoop. The Void Hand, Soul Probe was also completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt.]
[After handing the repair work over to Vill-V, you knew that the Herrscher of Legion was coming soon, and with it, the catalyst for Hua to become a MANTIS.]
[For this reason, you decided to help her prepare mentally in advance.]
---o---
"Hey, Hua. Have any plans to go out tomorrow?"
Fu Li smiled and waved at Hua, who had just returned from a mission.
"Go out?" Hua thought for a moment.
For people like them, unless there was an emergency, they were always given a week-long leave after completing a mission.
So, going out didn't seem like a bad idea.
"Sure. But where are we going?"
"Hmm… let me think. How about here?"
Fu Li, who had planned this all along, handed a tablet to Hua. The image on the screen was of a metropolis that looked very similar to Changkong City.
"Changbai City?" A hint of nostalgia appeared in Hua's eyes as she looked at the familiar architectural style.
"That's right. It's one of the few cities left with decent scenery," Fu Li nodded, adding, "However, we'll be bringing a little guest with us this time."
"Who?" Hua frowned, a sense of unease rising in her heart.
Fu Li's next words confirmed her feeling.
"Mm, it's the original host of the Sixth Herrscher, Seele."
Fu Li unabashedly spoke a name that most people would find difficult to accept.
"Seele?! Brother, did Mobius bite you?! That's a Herrscher!"
Hearing the name, Hua's expression changed, just as expected.
"Brother, what are you thinking? Seele is a Herrscher! Do you understand? A Herrscher! She's such a dangerous entity, and you actually want to let her out?!"
"Trust me, Hua," Fu Li said, completely unsurprised by her anger.
"As a researcher, no one understands Herrschers better than I do. Besides, Himeko is a Herrscher too, isn't she?"
Hua retorted, "Himeko is different! She was our former captain!"
"No, they are the same. They are both Herrschers."
Fu Li sighed softly. "Hua, the times have changed. Herrschers may not necessarily be our enemies, and humans may not necessarily be our friends."
"…" A complex look filled Hua's eyes. She clenched her fists. "Fine. We'll take her with us."
And then I will prove to you that Herrschers—no, that woman, Seele—can never be trusted.