Kill?

Sometimes, with enough groundwork, one could reap rewards without lifting a finger—especially with a dedicated, unpaid worker like a Herrscher providing assists.

Though unaware of what her precious sheep encountered in the dream world, Lee was impressed by the Eighth Herrscher's efficiency.

Yesterday, after the "trauma" of Pardofelis being forced into surgery, Lee figured she could sleep and prepare for her performance the next day. She woke up to find HQ practically crippled, with most combatants trapped in the dream world, except for a few non-combatant researchers.

Forget those freshly minted MANTIS conscripts, even the ever-reliable Kevin had fallen… This reinforced Lee's resolve to acquire some mental abilities. She was getting too vulnerable.

But reinforcements arrived quickly—Elysia, who seemed to possess some kind of mental shielding, preserving a rare combat-ready asset for humanity. And to Lee's surprise, Elysia brought an old friend.

"Aponia…" Lee murmured, staring at the familiar golden hair and frontal armor.

"Long time no see, Lee." Aponia nodded, a gentle smile on her face. "I can sense it… so many trapped in nightmares…"

"Aponia is now a psychic-type MANTIS . The higher-ups rejected my application to have her join the Fire Moth, but in this situation, we can't afford to be picky!" Elysia's expression was serious. "I can wake people from the dream. Aponia should be able to do even more."

"The Herrscher's influence is strong here, leaving traces I can use to track her location." Aponia said softly. "But that means I won't be able to help the comatose patients for a while."

"As long as we find and eliminate the Herrscher, everyone should wake up…" Elysia hesitated. Neither she nor Aponia had experience fighting Herrschers. If they were stalled, those trapped in the dream might die.

Elysia looked at Lee, who had the most experience dealing with Herrschers. "Lee, what do you think we should do?"

"…You two should focus on waking people up." Lee frowned, thinking, then looked up, her voice firm. "Many warriors are already using the Observation Hub to track the Herrscher. Since her influence here is so strong, it must have created some vulnerabilities. They shouldn't miss this opportunity."

"Even if Aponia doesn't track the Herrscher, others will. But Elysia alone won't be enough to wake everyone. You two go wake the victims. I'll check the Observation Hub and notify you if there's any news."

Elysia didn't hesitate, immediately preparing to leave with Aponia. But Aponia paused, looking at Lee, her blue eyes filled with concern.

As if making a decision, she spoke. "Listen, Lee… please, don't hurt your—"

"Aponia." Lee interrupted, her gaze firm. "I know what I'm doing."

"…" Aponia lowered her head, avoiding Lee's gaze. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but remained silent, turning to leave with Elysia.

Watching them go, Lee maintained a serious expression, inwardly relieved.

To snatch someone from the Herrscher of Sentience's grasp and even use her psychic powers to track her… Aponia was undoubtedly a psychic-type MANTIS now. Considering her cryptic words and previously demonstrated abilities, Lee suspected Aponia now possessed some kind of mental suggestion or command ability.

If Aponia had placed a "no self-harm" restriction on her, Lee's plan would be ruined!

Good thing Aponia listens to reason…

Anyway, I should go check on Su's Observation Hub. Such intellectual tasks were rarely completed by brute force.

Besides Aponia, Lee only knew of two other psychic-type warriors: Su and Dystopia. Dystopia's energy generation efficiency wasn't as high as Su's, so Lee bet this was Su's show.

I wonder if anything changed after my influence?

…

Though unaware of the original events, when Lee arrived at Su's Observation Hub, everyone was unconscious.

Lee was relieved. MANTIS using the Hub couldn't wake up on their own. Someone had to operate the Hub externally. If she hadn't arrived, Su might have died here.

"That was close…" Lee examined the signals from Su's Hub, realizing he'd already completed the task but was trapped because the external controls weren't activated.

Though the interface was complex, it wasn't incomprehensible. Lee, equipped with her "Hardworking Employee" skills, wasn't completely lost.

"It should be like this—"

As Lee focused on shutting down the Hub, a muffled thud echoed through the room.

"…" Lee looked down, seeing a bloody knife protruding from her chest.

"Blame your bad luck. Why did you have to come here?" One of the unconscious personnel stood up, but their dark eyes revealed they were no longer themselves.

"Herrscher…"

Before Lee could react, the Eighth Herrscher pulled out the knife, blood soaking Lee's clothes. Mortally wounded, Lee, her face contorted in pain, collapsed.

"That takes care of that. Now to deal with those two little rats." The Herrscher glanced at Su in the Hub, then at Lee's body, scoffing, before withdrawing her consciousness from the host.

…

A while later, Lee's fingers twitched. Gripping the edge of the console, she struggled to sit up.

Damn you, Herrscher of Sentience… my energy!

Lee groaned inwardly. This "alt account" didn't have the "Battle Continuation" trait. To survive, she'd had to reactivate the skill she and Shoko shared on her main account.

Even reactivating an already purchased skill on this alt account cost half the original price!

And it cost a million energy points, the amount a world protagonist, with 100% energy efficiency from maxed affection, would generate upon seeing their loved one die.

Lee had to spend a million… but she had no choice. Confronting the Herrscher of Sentience directly would have cost far more, and disrupted her plans.

Her original plan was to follow Su after he found the Herrscher, wait until the others defeated her, then make a grand entrance, grab the Herrscher core, declare that without power she could do nothing, and then shove the core into herself…

With her adaptability and the Honkai's… fondness for her, Lee figured hot-swapping a Herrscher core shouldn't be a problem.

She'd become an artificial Herrscher and gain a ton of energy.

Even if her body couldn't handle the Honkai energy and she temporarily failed, Vill-V, based on her previous research, could probably complete the process after Lee was brought to her lab.

But now, after the Herrscher's little "heart-to-heart", and with Lee severely injured, she wouldn't be around to witness the Herrscher's defeat… But it's fine. Near death, the only options are MANTIS or artificial Herrscher.

Good thing I hid Abyss Flower, just in case Vill-V decided to heal me instead of performing the artificial Herrscher surgery.

The only problem was whether Su and the others could defeat the Herrscher quickly, before Lee died…

Coughing up blood, Lee, with trembling hands, shut down the Observation Hub. Seeing the wake-up sequence initiate, she sighed in relief, then slumped against the console, leaving a trail of blood.

Come to think of it, I've already spent 1.5 million energy points because of Su!

First the map module, now Battle Continuation… he's a war god, but also a walking disaster.

Compared to him, Elysia and Kevin are so cost-effective.

Even with his indirect contributions, Su has only generated a little over a million energy.

Well, I should get a big payout this time, so it's not a total loss…

Leaning against the console, Lee began to consider the best "dying pose" to maximize Su's energy output—wait, why Su?

Lee suddenly realized her oversight.

This scene would be part of the story. She could farm energy from the audience!

Always one for action, Lee looked up at the ceiling, a bittersweet smile on her face.

"This time… I protected something, right…?"

The Eighth Herrscher was more troublesome than Su anticipated. Tracking her, seeing through her illusions, wasn't difficult, but the content of her dreamscape was… unsettling.

Not because of gruesome or terrifying imagery, but because it was all real, extracted from the minds of those trapped in the dream.

Lee, pierced by countless needles, her blood and bone marrow being extracted, begging to save her friends but being cruelly rejected, watching helplessly as the child she protected was taken away…

Su could only watch, powerless to change these past events, no matter how enraged he was!

What horrified him most was that the anesthetic had been ineffective on Lee, whose physique was extraordinary at the time—she was awake during the entire process!

His rage was directed not only at the Honkai and the Herrscher, but also at the Fire Moth.

He'd located the Herrscher, but couldn't leave the dream. That meant something was wrong with the Observation Hub, but trapped in the dream, he couldn't intervene.

If he were at the Fifth Science Division, he wouldn't be so worried. He trusted Dr. SPACY and his colleagues. They wouldn't abandon him. But here at HQ, he didn't know anyone…

Fortunately, it didn't last long. He felt the Hub's anchor to reality and woke up immediately.

The Herrscher knew he'd found her. He had to report her location quickly, before she escaped. She was close to HQ. He should be able to make it—

The moment he returned to reality, the stench of blood assaulted his senses. A strangely familiar scent, like…

He opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the bloodstains on the console, a searing pain in his heart. Then he saw the white hair behind the console.

"Lee?!"

Stumbling forward, he saw a sight he never wanted to see.

Lee was slumped against the console, her eyes closed, as if asleep, her clothes soaked in blood.

"…I see… another nightmare?"

Su focused all his mental power, trying to break free, but his senses told him one thing—this was real.

"…"

He stared at Lee, wanting to speak, but no sound came out, only his ragged breath.

What should he do? First aid? There was no equipment, and it was too late…

He could only…

Avenge her.

Kill that Herrscher.

Slaughter it, tear it apart, grind it to dust…

Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

He could hear his blood pounding, a high-pitched ringing in his ears, his mind slipping, consumed by rage.

But so what? If this was the price of vengeance, he would gladly pay it.

Suddenly, Aponia and Elysia, still waking the comatose personnel, turned around, seeing a green blur streak across the sky, towards the city.

"Is that… a bird?" Elysia, with her enhanced vision, could make out the figure. "Wait, is that Lee on its back?!"

"Where the mind wanders, obstacles arise…" Aponia sighed. "Do not worry. Lee's fate is not yet sealed. But I must go, lest that one strays too far and cannot return."