Preparing for a Meltdown

"Gone… what do you mean?" Lee gently stroked Pardofelis' messy hair, her voice filled with unease.

"Everyone's dead…" Pardofelis clung to Lee, tears and snot staining her dress. "First they got sick, then they were killed… everyone… everyone's dead…"

"?!" Lee froze, her expression hardening.

After a brief conversation, Lee finally understood the situation.

After she left, the orphanage functioned normally for a while. Lee's lingering influence, along with Aponia's unique abilities, kept the other Twilight Street factions at bay.

Aponia continued taking in Honkai-infected patients, using Lee's blood as a life-saving serum… but the patients increased, while the blood supply dwindled. Despite Aponia's careful rationing, it eventually ran out, leaving the patients incurable, clinging to life.

Then, just as Lee had predicted, the growing number of patients, influencing each other, caused a Honkai disease outbreak in the Twilight Street, decimating the population and attracting the Fire Moth's attention.

The Fire Moth sent investigators, who traced the outbreak to the orphanage. By then, most of the orphanage residents had already died, and the remaining, both young and old, were infected. The Fire Moth operatives, faced with so many infected, chose the simplest solution: extermination.

Then, this operative encountered Kalpas. A fierce battle ensued, devastating the surrounding area… Finally, Kevin and Mei arrived with reinforcements, subdued Kalpas, and brought Aponia, deemed the main culprit, back to Fire Moth HQ.

Everyone at the orphanage, except Pardofelis, who was out scavenging for supplies, was dead.

Seeing Kalpas and Aponia taken away, Pardofelis couldn't just stand by. She snuck onto the aircraft, hoping to help them escape.

Cold and hungry, she collapsed in the landing gear. When she woke up at HQ, Kalpas and Aponia were long gone. Pardofelis had been hiding at HQ, searching for them.

And today, searching for food, she stumbled into Lee's room.

Where did the Fire Moth find such a monster, capable of fighting Kalpas to a standstill? Lee searched her memories of all Fire Moth members, but besides Kevin and Elysia, the rest would be lucky to survive an encounter with Kalpas…

Someone so powerful, yet unknown to me… it could only be an operative from the Poison Cocoon, the secret assassination squad.

To have such a hidden powerhouse… truly, heroes are a dime a dozen.

Pardofelis, unaware of Lee's thoughts, saw Lee's silence and worried she wouldn't help. She clung to Lee's waist, pleading,

"Big Sis Lee, you're a member of this organization, and you're so strong! Can… can you get Mr. Kalpas and Ms. Aponia out? They didn't do anything wrong!"

"Mr. Kalpas and Ms. Aponia were very worried when you didn't come back. Mr. Kalpas wanted to look for you, but he was worried about leaving the orphanage unprotected, so he was always… gloomy…"

"…Did no one deliver medicine to the orphanage?"

Though she asked, Lee already knew the answer. Mobius was reliable, but those beneath her… weren't. The new serum, derived from Lee's blood, fetched a high price on the black market.

Theft during transport was common, especially when the destination was just an ordinary orphanage in the Twilight Street.

"Medicine? The red stuff? At first, someone delivered some, but it became less and less, and after two or three times, it stopped…"

A 100% embezzlement rate? Lee could only admire their audacity.

She'd thought Mobius' reputation would deter them, but some were truly fearless. They probably stole a few times, realized no one was checking, and got bolder… Couldn't they have at least left a few doses?

How pitiful… both the people at the orphanage, and those who stole the medicine…

"…I understand, little Pardo." After a moment of silence, Lee gently wiped the dirt from Pardofelis' face. "Stay here for now. I'll handle this. You look like a little stray cat. Go take a bath, and I'll take you shopping for clothes and get you registered when I get back."

"Big Sis Lee, you have to save them…" Pardofelis reluctantly let go, her eyes still filled with tears.

Saving them would be difficult. Kalpas and Aponia weren't ordinary people. If they were lucky, they'd be imprisoned. If not, the Fire Moth's pragmatic higher-ups would use them as lab rats. Lee, in her weakened state, had no influence.

Asking Mei might be an option, but even though Mei was one of the most powerful figures in the Fire Moth, the other higher-ups were wary of her growing influence… And for Mei, Kalpas and Aponia were perfect test subjects.

Kalpas' unusual physique aside, Aponia's high Honkai adaptability made her ideal MANTIS material.

But it's better if I can't save them. Then I can lament my powerlessness, watching lives being ruined before my eyes—and then I can have my dramatic breakdown!

Power was essential. Surely Vill-V wouldn't object to my methods.

And even if she did, Lee wouldn't listen.~

At the door, Lee hesitated, turning back to Pardofelis.

"Pardo, what if I—"

"…No, never mind." She swallowed her words, clenched her fists, and walked out.

Reject my request, Mei. A little bit of mockery would be a nice bonus!