Stigmata

After a series of escapades from Italy to the Middle East and finally London, Catherine and Gray Serpent finally received an update from their "informant"—the approximate location of the Second Divine Key and how to acquire it.

Although Jackal sounded reluctant over the phone, Catherine breathed a sigh of relief. Despite her prominent real-world status, she was a small fry within World Serpent, privy to few secrets and burdened with little responsibility—especially when the pressure came from both World Serpent and Schicksal.

Now that the pressure from her superiors was gone, the pressure from the other side ceased to be pressure.

It's a museum, after all. We have plenty of artifacts and Materials. Take your pick. Make yourselves at home!

Despite her relief, Jackal's reluctance still made Catherine uneasy. However, Jackal's mystique and authority within the organization discouraged her from inquiring further.

Jackal was indeed reluctant, but only emotionally. She had no intention of taking further action. Despite her flaws—stubbornness, arrogance, and a condescending attitude—she was fiercely loyal to World Serpent and always obeyed the "organizational decisions." While she might seek explanations later, she never disobeyed orders.

She's much better than some other pathetic people!

While Jackal wasn't as passive as Gray Serpent, she was also waiting to see Schicksal's downfall. Upon learning about Schicksal's extensive search in London, she even laughed.

"The Second Divine Key, such a wondrous artifact, can't be that easily found!" Though her arrogance resurfaced, underestimating Otto's determination and Schicksal's capabilities, she wasn't entirely wrong.

In the original timeline, Otto acquired the Second Divine Key thanks to Jackal's unintentional assistance. During their initial clash in London, Jackal, through Gray Serpent, inadvertently revealed crucial information to Otto:

The Second Divine Key was hidden in a pocket dimension, inaccessible by physical means. This dimension was located in the most conspicuous place in London.

This effectively pointed Otto in the right direction, eliminating 99% of the wrong answers. With such a head start, his investigation proceeded smoothly.

Now, due to Lin Wei's minor intervention, Otto had lost this crucial hint, left to search London blindly. He had to eliminate every wrong answer to find the right one.

But given Otto's patience and resources, acquiring the Second Divine Key was just a matter of time.

Lin Wei cared little for the machinations of Schicksal and World Serpent. Whether World Serpent cared about the Second Divine Key or not, it wasn't his concern. Whether Otto's search in London was successful or not, it wasn't his problem either.

As for Otto returning to seek retribution? A joke. Lin Wei planned to extort him further, demanding more benefits.

The Second Divine Key's only value to him was as a bargaining chip. Having used it, he no longer needed to worry about it.

In fact, even if he wanted to interfere, he had other pressing matters to attend to. He'd encountered an unexpected problem…

...

Schicksal floating island, Medical Center.

Lin Wei lay in the high-tech medical pod, eyes closed, allowing the equipment to scan him. He cooperated with the medical staff drawing blood samples.

He'd already decided: if anything was seriously wrong, he'd find a Fu Hua-style medical pod and crawl inside. Request permission? No way. If he woke up with superpowers, he'd tell Otto to deal with it himself.

Being the boss has its perks…

The scanning equipment stopped, returning to their original positions. The medical pod hissed as it opened, releasing a cold mist.

"Hmm… That's it?" Lin Wei rubbed his eyes, yawning as he sat up. It hadn't felt that long.

He hadn't noticed during his confrontation with Otto, but now that the tension had subsided, exhaustion washed over him.

"You slept quite soundly. It's been almost two hours!" The doctor, a knowledgeable young woman, commented, glancing at Lin Wei. "Dragging us back here in the middle of the night… I should be the one complaining."

Lin Wei felt a surge of "worker's resentment."

"Ahaha… Sorry, sorry. I didn't know Schicksal HQ strictly enforced an eight-hour workday…" he chuckled, impressed by Schicksal's labor practices.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just trying to wake you up." The doctor rolled her eyes. "We work in shifts. I was on duty anyway—24 hours. No such thing as overtime here."

Lin Wei was speechless. Seriously? I take back what I said!

"What's so strange?" The doctor gestured at the advanced medical equipment. "Working with such a safe and comprehensive medical system, we're not exactly at risk of sudden death from overwork."

Lin Wei fell silent, then chuckled awkwardly. He was starting to realize—no one at Schicksal HQ was normal.

He looked at the incomprehensible data in his hand.

"Simply put, your indicators are normal. No hidden injuries or genetic abnormalities," the doctor summarized diligently.

"Also, it's surprising that a male with no connection to Schicksal's founding families has such extraordinarily high Honkai adaptability." She examined him, adding, "Though, considering your actions in Manila, it's not entirely inexplicable…"

Lin Wei sighed internally. The irony of being described as having "extraordinarily high Honkai adaptability" was almost surreal.

He thought about the 2,000 doses of Honkai resistance serum forced into him and smiled wryly—fate had indeed exacted its price.

"I thought only Valkyries would find this surprising."

"Why would that be strange? Schicksal has internal forums and social media," the doctor explained. "The medical center isn't always busy, so we have time to browse interesting posts. I happened to see your name."

"Really? I'm honored." Lin Wei nodded, changing the subject. "So, there's nothing wrong with me, right?"

If so, he could finally relax. He could return to his former state. Had he really slept in a medical pod with no consequences? Was he that lucky? Unlike Sirin, he hadn't died, nor was he crippled like Old Yang. And they were Herrschers!

He didn't believe it was mere luck. There had to be another reason, but he couldn't figure it out.

Had he forgotten something that should have been ever-present, something that now felt like a void?

Did something happen? He racked his brain. Did Elysia really abandon him? After all his pleas for help… it was possible. But after all that effort, clearing the Elysian Realm, enduring the ordeal in reality, and finally crying out for her… Would she really give up so easily?

No way.

"There are no injuries or aftereffects," the doctor emphasized, then added, "But I've discovered something interesting, something never observed before. This piqued my research interest."

"What is it?" Lin Wei asked. "Is it the 'extraordinarily high Honkai adaptability'?"

"While your adaptability is surprising, it's still within the realm of possibility. Among billions of people, a few outliers are expected." The doctor pointed at him. "What's truly strange is your Stigmata."

I knew it. Lin Wei prepared his explanation—if the doctor confirmed his health, he had no qualms about using the Divine Key. "Do you need me to explain what Stigmata are?"

Seeing Lin Wei shake his head, the doctor skipped the basics. "Simply put, your Stigmata are markedly different from the inherited Stigmata of Schicksal's founding families and the iterative artificial Stigmata used by Valkyries."

"Whether inherited or artificial, Stigmata are essentially integrated segments of dominant genes within the human genome. They enhance Honkai resistance and adaptability, making the concept of 'Valkyrie warriors' possible."

She paused, letting Lin Wei process the information. "However, your Stigmata are independent gene fragments, almost parallel to the double helix structure, like symbiotic single-celled organisms…within a human body. Quite rare. No wonder you're curious."

Of course, they're foreign and symbiotic, not part of my original genes.

"Is there a problem?" Lin Wei asked, since she brought it up.

"None so far." The doctor examined him like a unique specimen. "This genetic symbiosis is common among single-celled organisms during early evolutionary stages. Their simple genes recombine and integrate over time, forming new structures. The successful cases form the basis of complex organisms, including humans."

"But in you, a complex lifeform, we find a similar symbiotic relationship within your genetic makeup. Honestly, when I first saw the data, if the genetic differences weren't so vast, I would've thought I'd encountered a new type of human—'two as one' or 'four in one'!" she joked, getting excited.

"Really?" Lin Wei nodded, understanding the gist.

A living girl had fused into him, becoming a Stigmata, a new form of life inscribed within him. It sounded fantastical.

Honkai is truly capable of anything.

Then, the doctor's next words shattered his thoughts.

"I also detected another dominant gene expression, remarkably similar to known Stigmata, showing signs of merging with your own genes. I almost thought you were a 'three-in-one' or 'four-in-one' human!"

"What?" Lin Wei's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"Literally, merging." Puzzled by his reaction, the doctor elaborated, using her hands to illustrate—two index fingers approaching each other, merging into one. "Like this. Becoming one."

Lin Wei was silent for a moment. "What happens after the merge?"

The doctor manipulated the equipment, projecting a computer simulation. "Not much. The independent Stigmata gene integrates into your DNA, becoming a dominant expression."

So that's it. I should have known…

Lin Wei looked up sharply. "Can it be separated again?"

"What?" The doctor was taken aback. "Separate what?"

"Can Schicksal's technology separate this foreign gene?" Lin Wei clarified.

"Are you sure?" The doctor hesitated, then said, "Wait a moment," and left the room.

Lin Wei watched, confused, as she returned with a cup of fragrant coffee. "Here. Try restoring the coffee to its original components."

Lin Wei took the coffee, bewildered.

The doctor crossed her arms, a playful glint in her eyes. "If you can't, then stop thinking about separating a distinct personality into an independent existence."

"Oh…" Understanding dawned on Lin Wei.

"It's nothing. By the way, your report is ready." The doctor smiled, changing the subject, handing him a few pages. "You're healthy and…unique. I'd love to study you further…"

Lin Wei felt a chill. He was now certain: no one at Schicksal HQ was normal.

"Anything else besides the Stigmata?" she asked, seeing he wouldn't press the issue.

"Nothing else."

"Good. Thank you." Lin Wei drained the bitter coffee, grabbed the reports, and stood up. "You've been very helpful. Goodbye."

The doctor, puzzled by his sudden change in demeanor, waved goodbye.

After Lin Wei left, she stretched, returning to her computer to organize the valuable data.

"Huh? Where's the data? I saved it!" She frantically checked, but it was gone. She rushed to her desk, trying to jot down what she remembered.

A moment later…

"Damn it! Did I forget everything because I talked to him for too long?" She crumpled the incomplete, useless notes and tossed them in the bin.

"Should I call him back for another examination?" she wondered, then reconsidered, remembering his status. She had only managed to reproduce Lin Wei's basic data. The crucial Stigmata findings were completely erased from her memory.

...

Outside, Lin Wei exited the medical center and saw Rita waiting gracefully. Offering her an apologetic smile, he took a deep breath and spoke to Yae Sakura in his mind.

"Change of plans. We need to leave here. Now."

"Where to?" Yae Sakura asked softly.

"World Serpent," Lin Wei replied, his voice firm. "To find Hare."