Elysian Realm · Mobius's Laboratory
In a separate laboratory that had been specifically cleared out, [Irene], her eyes glowing crimson, looked at the flowerpot before her. After careful consideration, she extended her hand and hovered it over the soil.
Pure white light, laced with black mist, emerged from [Irene]'s palm and draped over the flowerpot.
Moments later, [Irene] moved her hand aside. The soil in the pot began to tremble, and a brand-new shoot broke through the earth, blooming into a white flower at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"It seems your learning progress is faster than I imagined." Mobius looked at the newly grown flower and immediately manipulated her equipment to begin analyzing the specimen before her.
Analyzing a single flower was not complex. Soon, Mobius raised her head to look at [Irene]. "Not bad. You can now use a single petal to directly regenerate a complete flower."
"Ngh..." [Irene] collapsed onto the table as if burnt out. "It feels a bit more tiring than I expected. Now I understand what my Dear meant by 'cramming education' in her mind."
"Don't act like a victim after getting such a good deal." Mobius flicked [Irene]'s forehead. "Others would find it harder than ascending to heaven to receive my 'cramming education'."
Mobius paused, observing her student. "However, Lab Rat, your talent is indeed quite good. Is this also something the Herrscher of Death gave you?"
Mobius's reputation was certainly not good; otherwise, her laboratory wouldn't be known as the Demon's Den. There were even rumors that if anyone felt unwell physically, it must be Mobius's doing.
But regardless of rumors, Mobius was the top scientist of her time. She could guarantee that if she publicly announced she was accepting apprentices and teaching with full effort, the threshold of her laboratory would be worn down by the stampede.
Furthermore, by the later stages of the Previous Era, such titles were little more than nicknames. The leadership and humanity as a whole had no energy left to fuss over so-called human experimentation.
Especially after the Mu Continent was obliterated by the Herrscher of Earth, a massive portion of human civilization's technological lines was directly severed. Repeated experiments? Worrying about potential consequences?
By the end, such concerns didn't exist. All experiments were conducted as soon as they were proposed. Live subject experiments? conducting other tests to confirm safety?
Such things would have been considered an extravagance in human society at that time. Human civilization simply didn't have that kind of leeway anymore.
In fact, many people wished they could hop onto the operating table themselves just to fight for even a glimmer of hope for humanity. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many MANTISes stepping onto the battlefield.
Of course, this didn't include those upper-class individuals who kept their heads buried in the sand. In Mobius's view, they were a bunch of clowns who couldn't read the situation at all.
If not for the fact that they did have the ability to unite humanity and allocate resources, Mobius would have loved to slip 'something good' into their cups during a meeting, just to use them as test subjects.
Why am I thinking about those bastards again? How annoying. Mobius sighed. "Anyway, you did well. Alright, you can rest for a bit."
"We aren't proceeding to the next step?"
"I need to confirm that everything is normal with this flower." Mobius pointed to the blossom Irene had just forced into existence. "Although looking purely at the data, there aren't any issues."
"But using pure Honkai energy and Authority to generate a flower from a petal... the potential side effects are too numerous. I even have to suspect whether this thing might turn into a Honkai Beast."
"It shouldn't, right?" Irene had taken back control of her body at this point, scratching her head. "The other 'me' probably wouldn't do something so superfluous."
"It is just necessary vigilance." Mobius crossed her arms. "Before Vill-V crafted its Core into the Abyss Flower, we didn't know that the Herrscher of Death's abilities also possessed a side of creation."
"Actually," Cangxuan walked in holding a file, "that's not entirely true. At least according to the footage from back then, she used the Authority of Creation during our capture operation."
"However, since Honkai Beasts and Deadwalkers both possess the ability to use high concentrations of Honkai energy to regenerate their bodies, we didn't pay it much mind at the time."
"So, the confirmation that she had the ability of Creation really came after the Abyss Flower was made."
Mobius nodded. Since the topic had turned to this, she added, "But actually, we mostly just used it as a mobile blood pack. Regarding questions in this area, you can go ask Elysia."
"Her experience using the Abyss Flower might give you some inspiration."
"Although that fellow returned it to the Fire Moth after using it for only a short while. The Abyss Flower hasn't been with her since."
"Understood. If I have time, I will go ask." Irene nodded. Just as she was preparing to let Mobius continue the lesson, the Bodhi imprint in her mind emitted a fluctuation she couldn't ignore.
"Hmm?" Irene shifted her focus to the observation authority Su had given her earlier and activated it immediately. Through the observation frontline, she quickly saw the situation on Su's side.
"It seems it has begun."
"Hmm? What is it, Lab Rat?" Mobius looked at Irene. "What has begun?"
"Some matters outside." Irene looked at Mobius and smiled. "Apologies, I need to take a leave of absence. I need to go pick up Mr. Su."
"Oh, Su finally can't hold on anymore?" Mobius nodded with understanding. "Then go. I can still save a stasis pod here for him."
Irene nodded, turned, and left the laboratory, following the path Elysia had led her on earlier back to the main hall. However, the hall was currently empty.
Irene didn't specifically intend to look for anyone. She had long since obtained permission to enter and exit the Elysian Realm at will. As for Pardo and the 'Realm Pardo'...
According to Elysia, who had come over to check the situation a while ago, the two were partnering up to hunt for treasure all over the Realm.
Yes, after the two cats teamed up, their speed of 'restocking' had doubled. They were also frequently seen sunbathing together in certain sunny spots.
Kallen hadn't been seen for a while; she was probably still suffering under Kevin's tutelage—though Kallen was technically suffering under Mobius's hands too, in a way.
The most relaxed one was Lixue. Although she knew that the master here was from 50,000 years ago and didn't know her, Lixue still chose to fulfill her duties as a disciple.
This made Hua quite awkward, to the point where Hua wanted to avoid Lixue a bit. Yet, with the help of a certain mysterious figure, Lixue could always precisely locate Hua.
Irene didn't plan to call them along this time. After all, she was just picking someone up. And if she needed to transform, she could use her Possession Cards directly.
She had already learned the bulk of their kung fu; it was enough to handle the vast majority of situations.
*
"Oh my, it seems I'm late?" Irene emerged from a portal, looking at Durandal lying on the grass. "I originally wanted to watch Durandal 'eating dirt' in real-time~"
"You aren't late. Rather, you are early." Su turned his head to look at Irene. "It seems you have already made contact with the Realm, correct?"
"Mm, you can tell even that?" Irene nodded. "Yes, I've made contact. As for Rin, Mobius is already responsible for finding a solution."
"That is good. I can rest easy then." Su nodded. If Mobius was taking over the matter, he didn't need to worry about Rin's problem.
Irene glanced at Durandal lying on the ground, then looked up into Su's eyes with a hint of teasing. "You'll have to be prepared to get punched by her later."
"I know. It is a necessary price to pay." Su nodded. What he did was indeed... indeed a bit unethical. Getting beaten up for it was only normal.
"After all, I forced her to accept the trial, and I made her experience a life she did not wish to experience."
"Her temperament is completely different from yours," Irene smiled. "The choices she makes will definitely not be the same as yours."
Irene could guess that when Su created the illusion, he likely applied something akin to hypnosis on Durandal, making her believe she was the Su of that time.
Su must have also copied his psychological state from back then. That was why Su said he made Durandal experience a life she didn't like.
Compared to the Current Era, which was still relatively happy overall, the situation in the Previous Era was far from happy.
Irene walked over, lifted Durandal's body, and carried her to the tree, laying her down properly. After all, she couldn't just let Durandal lie face-down on the grass.
"To quote someone: 'A man's character is his fate.' Durandal's character is different from yours, so what are you insisting on?"
"..." Su fell silent for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curled into a smile as he nodded. "Yes, you are right. Mm, sometimes Kevin truly possesses great wisdom disguised as foolishness."
"A person's character is their fate... I will look forward to the answer she gives, the choice that belongs to her in that moment."
The information Irene had told him wasn't much, like flashing clips of a montage, skimming over most things with only descriptions of some plot points and key nodes.
Of course, he had no objections to this. He didn't need to know so much, and knowing it had little significance. That belonged to someone else's plan; what they needed was their own.
Moreover, from the moment Irene arrived in this world, that intelligence had become unreliable. In that story, Rin was not saved, Cangxuan and Danzhu died 5,000 years ago, and there was certainly no person named Irene striving for a better ending.
He could not use any of his own insights to evaluate things, as that would affect Irene's judgment. Only Irene had the ability to decide what she needed to do.
And now, he only knew that Durandal had passed his trial, and he was very satisfied with the answer sheet she had submitted. As for what exactly Durandal did, he wasn't clear.
"In any case, she will hand you a satisfactory answer sheet." Irene smiled. "You can look forward to it properly. Speaking of which, do you need any more treatment?"
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Irene, but I do not need it." Su shook his head. "When the time comes, where do you plan to keep my body, Miss Irene? The Elysian Realm?"
"There's no other good place to put it, is there?" Irene shrugged. "I don't have a spot for you here. Your body can't enter, so handing you over to your friends to look after seems quite appropriate."
"Of course, if you are willing for your soul to enter, I would raise both hands and feet in approval~"
"I understand." Su smiled at Irene's antics. "Since that is the case, I will not ask further."
Su stood to the side, watching Durandal lying under the tree, observing the choices she made—choices that were no different from his own back then, yet differed in subtle details.
Although those tiny differences didn't lead events in a better direction, things had ultimately changed.
Irene, feeling bored on the sidelines, used the Bodhi imprint Su had given her earlier to intervene in the illusion Su had woven.
Time in the illusion passed far faster than in reality. Soon, Durandal arrived before the final illusion Su had set for her.
Just as Su was anticipating what kind of choice Durandal would make that differed from his, he saw Durandal drop her weapon and directly embrace Rita, who was dressed in Kevin's outfit.
"Did only you know?" Durandal held 'Rita' tightly. "I have never seen a Rita as sad as today, never!"
"I will not let you bear all this alone anymore..."
Su silently sucked in a breath of cold air. Why did he feel like he had just been force-fed a mouthful of dog food?
"So I say..." Irene watched the changes in Su's expression, her eyes filled with teasing. "If even one of you—you or Kevin—were a woman, I estimate there wouldn't be any business for MEI."
Su pinched the bridge of his nose, his gaze turning to Durandal. "If this is how it is, I can be considered satisfied. She indeed will not become someone like me."
"Mm, she looks like she's about to wake up. I'd better hide for a bit~" Irene smiled at Su, then leaped up, jumping onto the tall tree and hiding herself among the dense leaves.
Su watched Irene, intending to use his ability to help her hide, only to realize he hadn't even noticed where Irene had hidden for a split second.
"Pardo's stealth techniques?" Su finally locked onto a spot where the foliage was dense. Just as Su muttered to himself, Durandal's eyelids trembled before she opened her eyes.
"..." Durandal sprang up from the ground instantly. Then, with a complicated look in her eyes, she looked at Su and clenched her fist. "To be honest, just now, I really wanted to punch you."
"It is not too late now." Su smiled freely. "After all, it was indeed I who forced you to participate in the trial, and presumably, that life was not one you wished to experience."
"But I calmed down and thought about it, and decided against it." Durandal stood up straight. "We are not true enemies, Pioneer."
"I know." Su nodded. He then handed a verdant Bodhi Leaf to Durandal. "Take it. You will be a very suitable successor."
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