"The story can be traced back a few months when Cocolia asked the children in the orphanage to participate in an experiment called X-10, which was a Honkai Energy adaptation experiment. Seele, Sin, and I were selected as experimental subjects. Due to some reasons, Bronya won't elaborate on that."
She said: "The final result was that Seele, who possessed innate Stigmata powers, was quantumized after the experiment, and it failed. Bronya doesn't know the specific reasons for the failure."
"Cocolia told Bronya that to save Seele, they must obtain a Herrscher Core."
As Bronya recounted the story, Raiden Mei gradually understood the past events that had occurred in Anti-Entropy.
In simple terms, it was a tragedy caused by an experiment.
Due to Bronya's concealment, the X-10 experiment failed, Seele disappeared after being quantumized, and Cocolia said that to save Seele, they could only rely on the power of the Herrscher.
And Raiden Mei, who had been infused with the Gem of Conquest, became Cocolia's target.
Chen Ran frowned.
He was very familiar with this plot, or rather, it was the same as the one in his memory.
However, he still had many questions.
For example, how did Cocolia establish contact with Schicksal and reach a verbal agreement for cooperation?
And how did Cocolia bring down Raiden Ryoma and directly take control of ME Corp?
But he didn't ask any of these questions.
Knowing these things didn't really help; he wasn't the type to question everything like Raiden Mei.
Chen Ran asked his most concerned question: "I just want to know how Cocolia plans to let Nagazora City fall into Honkai, and when she will decide to let Nagazora City fall into Honkai."
Bronya remained expressionless: "The method to let Nagazora City fall into Honkai is very simple. Cocolia has placed Honkai Energy reactors on the rooftop of ME Corp and HOMU Paradise. According to Bronya's calculations, the Honkai that erupts from these two places is enough to cover the entire Nagazora City."
She did not hide that she was an accomplice, saying: "As for the prerequisites for initiating Honkai, it should rely on observing Raiden Mei's condition."
"Is it watching my condition?" Raiden Mei frowned.
Bronya nodded: "Including media reports about your father and some malicious slanders and comments targeting you at Senba Academy, all of which were arranged by Cocolia."
"Clearly, this plan failed because of Mr. Chen Ran's interference."
The Herrscher Core is a very mysterious thing, almost metaphysical.
According to the current understanding of Herrscher by Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, the consciousness of the Herrscher Core amplifies the negative emotions of the Herrscher.
This is also a prerequisite for becoming a Herrscher; at least, current observations suggest that the Herrscher Core can amplify the deepest emotions.
And negative emotions, without a doubt, are the easiest to nurture.
It is actually very difficult to make people feel love and kindness, while making them hate is very simple.
Therefore, Cocolia planned to use this method to slowly nurture Raiden Mei's negative emotions. To make her realize that her father is a corrupt official, to isolate her at Senba Academy, and to have her live in resentment every day.
Once it reaches a certain critical point, then the Honkai in Nagazora City can be initiated.
However, all of this was disrupted by Chen Ran.
Undoubtedly, Chen Ran's appearance was a bug-level event for Cocolia.
He stood in the position of Raiden Mei and revealed most of the facts, causing Cocolia's actions to isolate Raiden Mei and nourish her negative emotions to fail directly.
And without negative emotions, even if the Honkai in Nagazora City was triggered, it would just be meaningless slaughter.
However, behind Chen Ran was Schicksal, and Schicksal's identity made Cocolia very wary.
Bronya hesitated for a moment but still did not mention Cocolia's past negotiations with Schicksal.
After all, she wasn't foolish; the people here were naturally inclined towards Schicksal, and revealing this fact would not benefit her. Instead, it would make it seem like she was slandering Schicksal for self-preservation.
"That's all Bronya knows."
Wendy couldn't help but ask, "Then Bronya, now that you've told us all this, what will you do next?"
"I also know about Cocolia from the documents. She is described as a fox, and you probably can't go back now, right?"
Bronya nodded.
She no longer had the possibility of going back.
Cocolia had already completed a betrayal against her in reality, and she had done the same.
She could no longer return to that place, even if that woman wanted her to call her 'mother.'
This was actually the worst thing Cocolia had done: giving someone an illusory beautiful bubble while still treating them as a tool.
Wendy said, "In that case, I'll talk to Teacher Theresa, and you can join Saint Freya too."
She waved her small fist and said, "Teacher Theresa will definitely agree. If she doesn't, I just need to act cute, and she'll nod."
Chen Ran, on the other hand, showed a hint of surprise.
Wendy and Theresa's relationship was actually this good?
He had completely missed that.
…
…
Now that they knew the locations of the two Honkai Energy reactors, Chen Ran naturally had to start taking action.
Considering Raiden Mei's personal safety, everyone chose not to act separately and instead went to HOMU Paradise first.
Raiden Mei also just learned that the world's largest IPHomu was actually created by someone from Anti-Entropy.
She felt that Schicksal and Anti-Entropy were much more down-to-earth than she had imagined. Whether it was the idol teriri or Homu, they were all precisely capturing the psychological needs of today's youth.
She couldn't help but continue to observe Wendy and Kiana, who were going out to connect with Bronya. So, if the world relied on these two organizations for salvation, it would definitely be doomed.
Fortunately, there were still normal people here.
At least Chen Ran's current behavior was still considered normal.
Until he made a call.
"It's getting cold; it's time to let HOMU Paradise go bankrupt."
Raiden Mei & Rita: "…"
Rita looked at the man in front of her and said, "I have already received your report and materials. Schicksal will do its best to provide you with assistance regarding HOMU Paradise."
"This week, the Far East government will conduct a safety inspection of HOMU Paradise and forcibly close the park. You can set off now; no one will stop you."
Chen Ran: "Safety inspection, that name sounds very familiar."
"Is there a problem?"
"No, I thought this was just a Shenzhou specialty; I didn't expect it to be universal."
He smiled, then casually chatted for a bit before hanging up the call.
"Alright, everyone, get in the car."
Then Wendy took the lead and ran towards the car, cooperating very well.
Bronya hesitated for a moment before following in.
Kiana complained, "Can't you be a bit more serious?"
"Is there a possibility that if I were serious, you might not be happy?"
Kiana was slightly taken aback and sighed, "Fine then."
The group headed straight for HOMU Paradise.
At the same time, at Senba Academy.
The poor principal was already dead, and the body had been cleaned up neatly by Cocolia.
The moment Bronya's chip lost contact with her, she realized many terrible things, and then Cocolia decisively chose another location for the Honkai Energy reactor.
Senba Academy.
Perhaps in Bronya's calculations, this place was somewhat redundant. But Cocolia always believed in having multiple escape routes.
She was not a perfectionist when it came to science and data calculations; her life in Siberia had taught her that life is full of surprises.
So, when Bronya calculated that only two locations were needed to cover the entire Nagazora City, she found a third.
That was Senba Academy in Nagazora City.
She did not know what Bronya's final situation would be, nor could she predict that Bronya would ultimately betray her.
Having multiple escape routes was merely a warlord's survival instinct.
Similarly, upon realizing that Raiden Mei would no longer follow the script she had written, Cocolia had another idea.
Why must the Herrscher be Raiden Mei?
The Gem of Conquest only increased the possibility of Raiden Mei becoming a Herrscher, but it was just a possibility.
After all, the Herrscher of Reason did not have a related Herrscher Core before becoming a Herrscher, and the same went for the Herrscher of the Void.
At this time, there was no precedent for becoming a Herrscher simply by obtaining a gem. Since Schicksal clearly did not adhere to agreements, Cocolia naturally would not foolishly continue to target Raiden Mei.
In her hand, she held a photo of another person.
"Tsk, this is also a good target."
The person in the photo was Sato Yuna.
A girl Cocolia would have never noticed before.
…
…
With Bronya's help, the Honkai Energy reactors set up by HOMU Paradise and ME Corp were dismantled.
Strangely, the entire process went very smoothly.
Although they encountered the Anti-Entropy Titan and faced some resistance, Chen Ran still felt that it was too smooth.
Could it be that Cocolia had given up?
No, if she were to give up easily, then this wouldn't be Cocolia.
After all, Cocolia started with a low position when she joined Anti-Entropy; she must have gone to great lengths to reach a high position. But the current Cocolia was only using conventional forces to hinder them.
If Cocolia's ruthless nature was merely like this, it would be too underestimating of her.
The power Cocolia was displaying now was too mismatched with her identity.
The most critical point was that the system had not given any prompts.
He recalled his mission content once again.
[Scene Objective: Retrieve the Herrscher of Thunder, or prevent the Third Honkai Eruption from occurring.]
Was it because the Herrscher of Thunder had not been retrieved that the mission was not completed? But regarding the scene with Wendy, Wendy had not been retrieved either.
Or was it that the system judged that the Third Honkai Eruption would still occur?
That meant Cocolia still had a chance to turn the tables.
He couldn't help but ask Bronya beside him, "Are these two places all that Cocolia has set up?"
"Yes."
Bronya was very certain.
Kiana couldn't help but say, "Nothing should happen now, right? After all, these things have been destroyed. Wendy, when are we going to the Eastern Branch?"
Wendy had already communicated with Theresa about Kiana going to the Eastern Branch.
In fact, when Theresa heard that name, she almost lost her composure and wanted to come to Nagazora City.
It was only after Wendy persuaded her for a long time that she suppressed her impulse.
Wendy also said, "Cocolia may have already left. She is indeed an enemy, but she is not inflexible. Perhaps she saw us here and, realizing there was no opportunity, left on her own."
"As for the Eastern Branch, we'll see how he arranges it. My task is to support him and follow his command."
Chen Ran's brows furrowed even deeper, but he did not voice his suspicions.
Kiana was right; nothing should happen at this stage.
Wendy was also right; Cocolia was not a stubborn person.
Stubborn people cannot accomplish anything as warlords; they will give up when they should.
Could it be that Cocolia knew Bronya was getting close to Raiden Mei and planned to use Bronya directly? No, even to this point, Bronya's contact with them was merely a disguise?
He kept a watchful eye while appearing to relax his brows.
"What you said makes sense; I was overthinking it."
"Actually, I just found a faster way. As long as I bring Mei to Saint Freya, the crisis will resolve itself. I was too foolish."
"Then Wendy, tomorrow… no, you can contact the Eastern Branch now."
He was taking a gamble.
If Cocolia was indeed targeting Raiden Mei, she would not let her leave smoothly.
On the contrary, if that were the case, he would likely meet the conditions for clearing the mission, and he wouldn't have to linger in this scene any longer.
Of course, Chen Ran would not tell Kiana and the others about this thought for now; he was not a mind reader, so he didn't know if Bronya was currently in the enemy camp while her heart was with them, and whether everything she was doing was merely a counter-scheme.
An intuition told him that Cocolia would not give up so easily.
——
Fire Moth, Elysian Realm.
After obtaining the potion, Wendy handed it over to Klein for analysis.
According to Wendy's understanding, this Klein doll was the main workforce of the First Research Institute.
Upon seeing Wendy, she revealed her background: "The doctor often takes Chen Ran out, and when they go out, it's for a whole day, so all the work has to be left to the mature me."
"The mature me simply can't handle it all, so I was created."
"So, all the work of the First Research Institute is handled by me. And I have already gotten used to it."
Wendy found it hard to imagine how Klein managed to persist under such a complicated workload.
However, that did not prevent her from using Klein.
"Klein, help me test the effects of this potion and whether there is a possibility for mass production."
Wendy undoubtedly trusted Chen Ran.
However, that did not mean she was blind.
By now, Wendy was fully aware that Chen Ran was not a simple person; she had never been just a love-struck fool.
"Ah, is this the product left by Researcher Chen Ran?"
Klein directly asked.
Wendy's eyes showed a hint of surprise: "You know him?"
"The gene potion that activates Stigmata was developed solely by Researcher Chen Ran; it is an early potion work but has a very high completion rate. Even the doctor has been thinking about it and has no room for improvement."
"Its function is obvious: it activates the Stigmata factor injected into the human body, maximizing the activation of memories against Honkai. But correspondingly, the process of making it is also quite difficult."
Wendy nervously asked, "Difficult, in what way? Raw materials? Costs? Or the method of production?"
"The specific difficulties are not here." Klein shook her head and said, "Let's put it this way, even in the current Elysian Realm, the doctor does not have the complete ability to produce it."
"The biggest difficulty of this potion lies in the fact that its creator can only be Researcher Chen Ran."
"The doctor has countless files about this potion on her computer, and there's no need for additional research. As for the method of use, you just need to take it. But I want to ask, where is Researcher Chen Ran now?"
The Klein doll had always only cared about work, but now she was concerned about someone outside of work.
Wendy's eyes were filled with contemplation as she said, "If my memory serves me right, Researcher Chen Ran should be in 2013 now."
At this time, she was undoubtedly in great pain.
Clearly, events that happened afterward were now before the time. Undoubtedly, this directly interfered with some of her memories.
Klein tilted her head: "I don't quite understand."
"I don't quite understand either, but perhaps the answer is about to be grasped."
Following the instructions left by Chen Ran, she began to take the potion.
Although it had been placed for a long time, the potion did not taste bitter at all; it had a flavor of rock candy.
She felt an inexplicable power surging through her body, while her mind displayed a chaotic consciousness.
The Klein doll reminded her: "After the awakening of memories against Honkai, it will automatically help your body develop complete Stigmata genes."
"The doctor and Researcher Chen Ran once concluded that consciousness is one of the key products against Honkai, and complete Stigmata possesses unimaginable power."
Wendy was adapting to this power.
At that moment, Mobius arrived at their workstation.
"Ah, you're back, lab rat."
Mobius's eyes held a hint of madness: "It seems you already have the power of Stigmata. I'm also starting to look forward to what kind of product the fusion of Stigmata and Herrscher will be."
Wendy's eyes were serious: "What are you going to do?"
"No need to be nervous; we are collaborators, and that hasn't changed."
"This is my imprint; now it's yours."
"The Infinite Ouroboros, you will need it."
She paused and continued, "I have already asked Vill-V for help. Oh, you don't know her yet, but you will become very familiar with her later."
"Given the current conditions of the Elysian Realm, it's still too difficult for a physical body to cross over, but it's too easy to trace consciousness back to the past."
"Tracing consciousness back in time?"
Wendy instinctively asked, "So, I won't affect anyone?"
"Of course not, but right now, you just need to be a witness, right?"
Mobius's voice was like a seduction.
But Wendy couldn't help but agree.
Not being able to fully travel back made her feel a bit disappointed, but also relieved.
She actually didn't know what she would say to Chen Ran if she traveled back to the past.
"I hope you're not lying to me."
"Mm-hmm, don't worry; my bottom line isn't that low." Mobius winked: "Moreover, if I really wanted to deceive you, I would have already started when you weren't aware of it."
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