Elbow nudge Come with me to the lab.

Oblivious to Elysia's inner turmoil, Jiang Qiao had enjoyed a relatively peaceful night—at least, compared to nights spent sleeping with Seele or Bronya.

Of course, Fairy Elysia's presence might have also contributed to his restful sleep.

He smiled, looking at the two Elysias—one big, one small—snuggled together, their sleeping faces eerily similar. He gently tucked the blanket around them.

In her sleep, Elysia murmured, "Hee hee… Bad Jiang Qiao, I finally caught you…"

A trail of drool glistened on her lip. She seemed to be having a rather… interesting dream. Jiang Qiao couldn't help but wonder what it was about.

Should I peek?

With the [Feather of Truth (Fenghuang Down)], peering into someone's dreams was a simple matter.

Beep beep!

As he pondered, the communicator MEI had given him chirped. He tapped the air, a ripple of nascent Void authority silencing the room.

He answered the call.

"How did you sleep?" MEI's voice came through.

"Pretty well, aside from a few minor… interruptions."

"Interruptions? Never mind. Come to the lab. We need to discuss our next steps."

"Of course, if you'd like, you can grab something from the base cafeteria first. I hear it's quite popular. We can wait." There was a hint of wistful longing in her voice. As a high-ranking Fire Moth member, her diet was strictly controlled.

While she could visit the cafeteria, her dual roles as head of research and organization leader left her little free time.

Jiang Qiao, however, latched onto a key word:

"We?"

"Vill-V and Mobius are here as well."

MEI's answer was concise, but the implications were significant. While the three of them were a close-knit group, their high-ranking positions meant that gatherings were usually for official business. A meeting with all three present was undoubtedly a matter of great importance.

Understanding the unspoken message, he replied, "Understood. I'll be right there."

"See you soon."

"See you."

After ending the call, he paused, looking around the room. As if remembering something, he tapped the air again. In the corner, a pink scale materialized, along with a neatly folded set of Elysia's favorite Flame-Chaser attire and hair accessories.

Satisfied, he nodded and slipped out of the room, carried by a gentle breeze.

While using his Void authority for Quantum) jumps would have been faster, he wanted to avoid triggering any alarms.

As a unique Herrscher, the 2nd Herrscher's ability to teleport had prompted the development of countermeasures after the 2nd Eruption.

As humanity's first line of defense against the Honkai, Fire Moth headquarters couldn't risk being silently infiltrated and destroyed by a similar entity.

Aside from the "Real Coordinate Disruption Device" that Vill-V had proposed and was currently developing, the most important countermeasure was the "Imaginary Space Detection Device." While not a defensive measure, it would at least alert them to the arrival of such enemies.

Small-scale use of Void authority might go unnoticed, but anything on the level of Quantum) transfer would instantly trigger alarms throughout the entire headquarters.

"Hee hee~ Look who we have here~"

As Jiang Qiao passed through security and entered the lab, a sultry voice, laced with amusement, greeted him. The distinctive tone hinted at a certain… maturity… and a voice whose owner undoubtedly had a rather… firm mouth.

He looked up and saw the green-haired woman standing nearby, clad in her usual lab coat, her voluptuous figure—something unimaginable in her later years—barely contained by the garment.

Her iridescent, serpentine eyes gleamed with curiosity and interest—but knowing Mobius, no one wanted to know what she did with subjects who piqued her interest.

"This is our 'first' meeting, isn't it, Mr. Jiang Qiao?" she purred, a sly smile spreading across her unhealthily pale face. "Or should I say… Elysia?"

"That depends on your perspective. But for the current me, the former would be more appropriate."

"Oh? Fine, fine~ I suppose that's more fitting... but you certainly had us fooled!"

Mobius slithered closer, her gaze raking over him with unrestrained "aggression." Her amused, almost wistful tone barely concealed her displeasure.

While their intellect had hinted at something amiss, they hadn't suspected that the Elysia they knew was actually this man, so convincingly in character.

After all—no matter how they looked at "Elysia," the label "man" simply didn't fit.

"Mmm, mmm~ Indeed, completely unexpected," another of Elysia Jiang Qiao's "victims" chimed in. Vill-V sidled up to Jiang Qiao, her leather-clad, curvaceous form brushing against him as she studied him with wide-eyed fascination.

MEI's exasperated voice cut through the air as Jiang Qiao found himself surrounded by Mobius and Vill-V:

"While I understand your reactions, let's put this aside for now. There are more pressing matters to discuss."

"Hmph, hmph~ This isn't over," Mobius muttered, her gaze fixed on Jiang Qiao.

—She wasn't truly upset about being deceived. Even if there had been some… intimate… moments that crossed certain lines, Mobius wasn't one to be bothered by social conventions.

What truly irked her was that she hadn't seen through his disguise. For Mobius, who prided herself on her intellect, failing to realize that Elysia was actually a man in disguise was a stinging blow to her ego.

She needed to regain some ground—and Jiang Qiao would be her stepping stone.

—Unfazed, Jiang Qiao simply smiled.

He turned to MEI. A large display screen showed streams of data and a complex-looking device. Beside it, a holographic globe of the planet was awash in crimson.

"The Herrscher of Dominance's core has completely spread across the globe. Most of humanity are now its carriers," MEI announced grimly. 

"In the months since the Herrscher of Dominance's emergence, violent incidents worldwide have increased by 98% compared to the same period in previous decades."

"Several governments have been destabilized, and some Eastern European nations have descended into anarchy." Her voice was heavy with concern.

At this rate, the damage caused by humanity itself might surpass that of the previous four Honkai Eruptions. After all, when it came to harming their own kind, humanity's expertise was undeniable.

Compared to the original Herrscher of Dominance, this "new" version was far more difficult to manage and posed a greater threat. The original had merely eroded trust, causing humanity to crumble from within through suspicion and paranoia.

This new Herrscher, while not directly attacking the human psyche, amplified negative emotions and empowered individuals to act on their darkest impulses.

And when humans turned to violence, they could be far more unrestrained than any "hidden anti-human element."

The already prevalent global wealth disparity exacerbated the situation. In less-developed regions with limited access to education, the Herrscher of Dominance's influence was devastating, sending crime rates skyrocketing.

Jiang Qiao manipulated the holographic globe.

Streams of information flooded the display. The South Asian region was in complete collapse. Well, considering the region's already fragile political landscape—a patchwork of nations held together by tenuous threads—its descent into chaos wasn't surprising.

Then there was Eastern and Western Europe… He saw reports of hyperinflation, bread costing half a million marks, the resurgence of "indulgences"…

It seemed the old aristocratic powers, amplified by the Herrscher of Dominance, had cast off all pretense of decency, channeling their inner Vlad the Impaler… wait, didn't they always do that?

The central regions of North America were also affected, but Fire Moth's new headquarters in the area had managed to maintain a semblance of order through aggressive peacekeeping efforts.

The only relatively stable areas were Mu, Shenzhou, and the Far East… His finger paused over reports of major earthquakes and… private horse races…? Apparently, Far Eastern politicians were also competing for the title of "Most Corrupt."

So the world's gone to hell while I was away.

He felt a sense of numbness as he processed the information gathered by Fire Moth.

"Thanks to the Herrscher of Dominance, Fire Moth is now tasked not only with handling Honkai incidents but also with… crowd control," MEI sighed, looking at the crimson-stained globe.

This was the reason for her overwhelming workload. Fire Moth's responsibilities had expanded, forcing them to act as a de facto police force in anarchic nations.

While this increased their authority, it also created a logistical nightmare. A larger team is harder to manage.

"How is the situation within Fire Moth?" he asked.

"That's… manageable." A hint of a smile touched MEI's lips.

While Fire Moth was also affected by the Herrscher of Dominance, Aponia's presence had helped suppress internal unrest. And thanks to their swift seizure of control, most of the higher-ups had been reduced to powerless puppets through decisive action.

The main problem lay outside the organization.

As a special department under the United Nations, a multinational organization, Fire Moth was still subject to certain constraints, especially in nations with stable governments.

"In any case, you've seen the situation. We need to neutralize the Herrscher of Dominance's threat as soon as possible. Otherwise, human civilization will collapse… Several nations are already on the brink of war."

MEI's expression was grave.

Previously, the shared Honkai threat had kept nations in check. Each had been preparing for the inevitable confrontation in their own way. 

But if the Herrscher of Dominance continued unchecked, those weapons would likely be turned against each other.

Especially the nuclear arsenals… Under the Herrscher's influence, expecting restraint was wishful thinking.

They had to accelerate Project Avalon. Otherwise, humanity would self-destruct before the Herrscher of the Finality even arrived.

"…Utterly repulsive." Mobius's lip curled in disgust, her eyes filled with scorn. Having endured a horrific childhood, she abhorred the ugliness of humanity. The Herrscher of Dominance's influence felt like a personal mockery—See? The kind of people you despise? Now they're everywhere!

Despite her rage and disgust, she could do little about the current situation. Scientific breakthroughs didn't happen overnight.

Even with the data from her future self, her research into analyzing the Herrscher of Dominance and using it to trigger human evolution had yielded little progress.

…However, she did have a potential lead now.

Her serpentine gaze settled on Jiang Qiao, a predatory glint in her eyes.

Lost in thought, Jiang Qiao finally voiced his main concern:

"How is Project Avalon progressing?"

"Most of the organization opposes it," MEI said flatly.

This wasn't surprising. How could humanity willingly submit to such control?

And this was just within Fire Moth. If other nations learned of their plans, they might send troops to shut down the entire organization, potentially destabilizing human society even further. It was simply too restrictive.

The Herrscher of Dominance wouldn't approve either, would she?

"However—"

MEI paused, glancing at Vill-V, who gave a confident smile.

"The device's construction is almost complete."

While Vill-V wasn't fond of Project Avalon and even harbored some objections, they had little room for such sentiments. Jiang Qiao's assistance had been invaluable, but if humanity insisted on self-destruction, there was little he could do.

Or rather, he didn't want to resort to extreme measures.

As far as he was concerned, as long as his objectives were met, the outcome was inevitable. But if the process was too… messy… that wouldn't be what Elysia would want, would it?

"But what about the AI to manage Project Avalon? Any progress on that, MEI?" Vill-V frowned. Her expertise lay in machinery and engineering. Given the resources, she could build anything. And with MEI's unwavering financial support, she had made significant strides.

However, aside from the core device, the most crucial component of Project Avalon was the central control AI.

The "Global Network" would connect the consciousness of nearly ten billion people, channeling their emotions, thoughts, hopes, and hatreds into the central control AI. Only then could the network achieve its intended "complete control," allowing Aponia's Discipline to be applied on a global scale.

The ideal candidate for this role was Higokumaru. With her as the core, the entire network's security would increase exponentially. However, there were issues with Higokumaru herself. And… Sakura would never allow it.

If they didn't want to sever ties with Sakura, they couldn't force Higokumaru into the role. And even if they were willing to risk that fallout, whether they could use Higokumaru as the central control AI was still questionable.

For safety and trust reasons, MEI had ruled Higokumaru out.

Since AI was MEI's specialty, the design and creation of the central control AI fell to her.

It was an incredibly time-consuming process.

"I created Prometheus, but I'm not sure if she can handle such a task," MEI sighed.

—Prometheus's early creation, aside from lightening her workload, was intended to prepare her for the role of central control AI. But the combined will of nearly ten billion people… MEI, despite her genius, wasn't certain if a single AI could manage it.

"Fortunately, someone from Mu is also involved in the project and seems to have made significant progress."

"Who?"

"Yssring Leavtruth."

The name sounded familiar. Mobius thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "That name… Oh, I remember! The Leavtruths' daughter, right?"

As a renowned scientist, despite her eccentricities, Mobius was familiar with researchers across various fields. After all, one never knew when another's research might prove useful.

"Is she famous?" Jiang Qiao asked, intrigued by the unfamiliar English name.

"Indeed."

The Leavtruths had been brilliant scientists specializing in human engineering, quantum mechanics, population genetics, and AI cognition, among other fields. They were the leading experts in AI research in Mu.

Even the exceptionally gifted MEI had to admit their superiority. After all, MEI's primary focus had been quantum mechanics, not AI. She was essentially self-taught in that area.

"It's a shame they died in an accident years ago. I would have invited them to join Fire Moth," Mobius said with regret. "If she's their daughter, I imagine she must be quite talented."

"Yssring is currently at the old Mu headquarters. I intended to visit myself, but I'm too busy."

"So?"

MEI stated calmly, "Since you're available, take a trip to Mu. And bring her and her research back to headquarters."

"Something wrong?"

"There's been some unrest in Mu recently. I'm worried something might happen."

"What about Sakura?"

Logically, Sakura would be the most suitable escort.

MEI lowered her voice. "She's tracking down the Sky People in Eastern Europe. She has some… obstacles to clear."

Her words were cryptic, but Jiang Qiao understood what those "obstacles" were.

It wasn't surprising. As their group's quiet but deadly enforcer, Sakura was constantly busy, her schedule overflowing with "orders," each executed flawlessly. She had yet to receive a single negative review.

"Besides, you're more… reliable," MEI added.

This wasn't flattery, but a statement of fact. While Sakura was their resident powerhouse, Elysia had been their ace. Aside from the… unforeseen entry into New Zealand, which had left them speechless, he had been exceptionally efficient, even more so than Sakura.

And compared to Sakura, Jiang Qiao's greatest strength was his… resourcefulness. He always seemed to bring back some unexpected "bonus."

"Fine," Jiang Qiao sighed. He was starting to regret his little word game.

As he turned to leave, however, he felt a tug on his arm.

It was Mobius.

She gave him a sly look.

Elbow nudge. Come with me to the lab.

Yssring Leavtruth.png (you can add, i quite lazy now)