"Doctor, ah—"
"Mmm~hmm! Delicious, just as expected from my Klein."
"Doctor, I'm only feeding you; I didn't cook it. From a rational standpoint, whether the food tastes good or not has nothing to do with me—you're praising the wrong person."
"But it's precisely because Klein is feeding me that it tastes so delightful. Who cares about the chef? Klein, give me more, ah~"
With her eyes closed and mouth wide open, Mobius eagerly awaited Klein to place more food inside.
Klein, standing at the table stirring the meal, sighed at Mobius's unscientific and whimsical remark. She then tiptoed, gently feeding the food into Mobius's mouth.
Everyone observed Mobius, her right hand wrapped in bandages, looking utterly harmless and dependent, while Klein attentively fed her like a patient mother. This scene portrayed Mobius as remarkably ordinary and innocent.
Yet they all knew she was a dangerous mad scientist, even someone Zeke kept a cautious eye on.
"I suspect she might have quite a lot in common with Otto," someone remarked.
Kiana tugged at Zeke's sleeve and whispered quietly.
Zeke stroked his chin, observing Mobius with her eyes contentedly closed as she enjoyed being fed. He remained noncommittal.
There were indeed similarities between Mobius and Otto; both were geniuses willing to go to any lengths for their goals, and unparalleled masters when it came to survival tactics. Perhaps if they ever met, they might genuinely hit it off?
Zeke silently nodded and then turned to Mobius.
"Do you have the bio-experimental report for the serum I requested?"
"An Honkai Energy resistance activation and enhancement serum with barely perceptible effects? Wasting my time on such experiments!" Mobius huffed irritably, raising her bandaged right hand—a finger missing—as she shot Klein a meaningful glance.
Setting down her bowl, Klein patted around herself with her short arms and swiftly produced a report nearly as tall as she was. She approached Zeke in a few steps, tiptoed, and handed it to him.
As Zeke accepted the report, he also took a bite of the meatball Bronya offered, chewing while flipping through the pages.
After a moment, he said, "As expected, this is a mature serum suitable for global distribution. The weak effect isn't concerning; progress must be gradual. Step by step, we can establish nationwide immunity, marking a significant turning point in our battle against Honkai."
"Ha! I'll admit this is impressive technology that even the previous civilization couldn't achieve until its final stages. However, don't forget our enemy is Finality itself. You should focus on enhancing combat capabilities rather than indulging in protecting those worthless weaklings!"
"I appreciate your input. In return, I have a suggestion for you."
"Hm?"
Mobius turned, intrigued to hear Zeke's insights.
Zeke set down the thick experimental analysis report and said, "I've noticed you prefer paper reports, which is highly inefficient. It's time to embrace digital data, Dr. Mobius."
"I'll be—"
Mobius's face darkened instantly.
His comment made her seem outdated. Using paper reports was merely a personal preference; it didn't imply she lacked expertise in mechanics or electronics, okay?!
Just as Zeke was about to address Mobius's disrespectful attitude, Kiana and Sin simultaneously brought food up to his mouth.
"Open wide, Zeke!" x 2
Zeke looked down to see two pairs of bright, expectant eyes.
"My hands aren't injured; you two should feed yourselves," he said helplessly but still took bites from both offerings.
This gesture satisfied them somewhat, eliciting sweet smiles all around.
"Tch!" Wendy uttered an ambiguous sound.
Zeke glanced sidelong at her.
"You don't need to feed me; I won't eat from you anyway."
"Who'd want to feed you?!?"
"Just focus on your meal; otherwise, you might not grow tall."
"I'll definitely develop just fine without any concern from a jerk like you, hmph!"
Wendy glared fiercely at Zeke.
Meanwhile, Seele and Raiden Mei were feeding the Olenyeva sisters lying on the sofa with their bottoms exposed. They exchanged looks, both reflecting mutual exasperation.
By now, who didn't know that Wendy had feelings for Zeke? And everyone was well aware that Zeke never responded well to confrontational approaches. Even if it were one of the girls close to him, daring to show attitude risked provoking a reaction intense enough to make them explode on the spot.
With Wendy's proud and stubborn demeanor, she seemed destined for continuous frustration.
As a newcomer, Mobius scanned the surroundings, her expression gradually turning somewhat peculiar. She then turned to Zeke and asked:
"Don't you think your personal life is rather chaotic?"
"It's none of your business."
"Fair point." Mobius nodded, continuing to accept Klein's attentive offerings. Uninterested in meddling with Zeke's emotional affairs or engaging with others, she focused solely on exploring the Infinite Path further—she wasn't here for socializing.
Friends? Mobius firmly believed she had no need for such trivialities!
While Zeke and his friends enjoyed their dinner, a mighty fleet steadily advanced toward Anti-Entropy Headquarters.
On the deck of the lead airship, Siegfried stood at the bow, his white trench coat billowing wildly in the gale.
"Zzzt!"
An ion lighter sparked to life, igniting a cigarette. With it between his lips, Siegfried exhaled a cloud of smoke that drifted away on the wind.
"You're really going to discuss Kiana with Zeke?"
Dressed in her black nun's habit, Theresa approached carrying a golden cross.
Siegfried puffed on his cigarette, gazing up at the starlit night sky. "This is our last chance. Before he ascends to power, I must ensure Kiana won't suffer any injustice—it's my duty as a father."
"Welt asked me to stop you; even Grandpa sent a message saying—you're courting disaster," Theresa said solemnly.
"At worst, Zeke might give me a sound beating! Regardless of the risk, I need to ask him face-to-face—given how indecisive he seems while being with my daughter, is he truly serious about this?"
"Hmm... Let's plan ahead then. Do you prefer cremation or burial? What epitaph would you like on your gravestone? Where should we erect your tombstone?" Theresa queried earnestly, stroking her chin.
Siegfried felt a chill run down his spine. After hesitating briefly, he asked anxiously, "Is it really that dangerous?"
"You've been asleep for so long, you don't know how Zeke single-handedly raised Kiana like both a father and mother, nor do you fully grasp his overbearing devotion to her. I doubt anyone can interfere between them—no exceptions, even if you're Kiana's biological father."
"...In any case, I must speak with him. As a father, although I'm aware of my shortcomings, I am still Kiana's dad, understand?"
"Sigh! I won't bother dissuading you further, but here's one piece of advice: make sure Kiana is present during your conversation. Otherwise, I can't guarantee Zeke won't dispose of you on the spot." Theresa gestured by drawing a finger across her neck, subtly hinting at Siegfried's possible fate.