When one party in a conversation becomes emotional, the discussion effectively comes to an end.
Naturally, MEI left.
She was not someone who would let her emotions run wild, as that would expose her vulnerabilities.
Chen Ran rubbed his head and sighed, "I was too agitated."
He was not agitated because of Mobius; after all, it was not MEI who was going to interrogate Mobius. He instinctively thought of another matter:
In the storyline that Chen Ran understood, after the Third Honkai Eruption, MEI joined Fire Moth.
And three years later, around the time of the Sixth Honkai, Kevin received news of Cocoon's assassination attempt on MEI, thus protecting her. So what exactly did MEI do during those three years that required such measures from the higher-ups of Fire Moth?
He thought that the higher-ups of Fire Moth played some unsavory roles, but now that he thought about it, perhaps it wasn't like that.
Of course, Chen Ran was not someone who would condemn the present based on the future.
He wouldn't be foolish enough to condemn MEI right now.
However, after Mobius's incident, he instinctively felt uneasy, and the source of that unease turned out to be MEI.
He knew he was wrong because he had broken the trust between him and MEI.
"Forget it, I need to find an opportunity to apologize to MEI. I hope she doesn't have the pettiness that ordinary women have."
Chen Ran shook his head and also left the Fire Moth rest area.
He wanted to visit Vill-V.
However, Vill-V only replied with four words: "Busy, do not disturb."
…
…
Meanwhile, in the internal conference room of Fire Moth.
Mobius's eyes were narrowed, as if resting to regain her energy.
After establishing all connections, Blanca finally met the doctor and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief: "Doctor, are you okay? Did anyone do anything to you?"
"Hmph, what can they do to me? They are just a bunch of cowards under rules."
Mobius's tone revealed a hint of disdain, and Blanca awkwardly said, "Doctor, this is the Fire Moth conference room."
"So what?"
"Generally, conference rooms have surveillance for data retrieval."
"Then just consider that I never said anything."
Mobius was not someone who would confront directly, but of course, she wouldn't admit defeat either.
She paused and said, "Since you're here, does that mean I can leave?"
"Yes, the higher-ups originally had no plans to deal with the doctor." Blanca sighed in relief and said, "Let's go."
"Hmph, no plans means they've warned me."
This beautiful snake doctor was not a scholar devoid of political awareness; she naturally sensed that something was off.
There were indeed factions within Fire Moth.
Represented by her and the head of the Fifth Research Institute, Sipas, the elder faction once held most of Fire Moth's resources.
At that time, Mobius enjoyed the highest treatment and privileges, but correspondingly, she also had to bear many responsibilities. Back then, Fire Moth, while being a frontline organization against Honkai, was essentially not harmful to people.
However, as more and more new members joined Fire Moth, the voice of the elder faction gradually diminished.
In its place were the more radical hawks and the more conservative doves compared to the elder faction.
The hawks advocated gathering all forces to eliminate Honkai, while the doves, on the contrary, believed that Honkai was a subject worth studying and could bring greater benefits to humanity.
The elder faction never had similar claims as the hawks or doves, so their voice naturally faded away. Until now, the responsibilities of the research institute were left with only research, but because of her status as an elder, Mobius still received a considerable amount of resources.
She also enjoyed a life of only conducting research peacefully.
After all, Mobius was a woman without a desire for power.
But now, she felt threatened.
Mobius admitted that the most important reason for her being investigated was that her actions touched upon taboos, but at least it now indicated that the higher-ups of Fire Moth were no longer so reliant on the First Research Institute.
"Forget it, a warning is a warning. With that group of people's wisdom, they wouldn't even know what I'm really trying to do."
"Blanca, prepare for me…"
At that moment, Mobius noticed Blanca hesitating to speak.
"What's wrong?"
Blanca hesitated and said, "Doctor, I mentioned to you before that I want to leave the First Research Institute."
"The new assistant Klein is already capable of handling many tasks, and I have completed the handover."
Mobius's pupils slightly constricted.
"Have you thought it through?" She paused and said, "When you are by my side, you cannot be unaware of the brilliance of the secrets we are peering into."
Blanca firmly said, "But it's precisely because I know this that I want to leave even more. Doctor, compared to the Infinite we pursue, I still hope to be an ordinary person."
"Just for that man?"
"And Griseo," Blanca added.
As an assistant by Mobius's side, Blanca naturally knew what Mobius was doing.
The so-called Infinite is essentially the evolution of life beyond nature and its special continuation.
She admired Mobius's research methods and wisdom, but she feared becoming part of it.
The fear of becoming an anomaly made Blanca determined to leave.
She and Mobius were pursuing different things.
She had her beloved husband and daughter.
Compared to Mobius's pursuit of Infinite, she only wanted an ordinary life. And this point, she had mentioned to Mobius before.
But Mobius only told her to think it through.
Mobius was still too proud; she thought that a researcher could not refuse the temptation of 'Infinite.'
She looked closely at Blanca and said, "Blanca, have you really thought it through?"
"Doctor, I have thought it through."
"Then let it be." Mobius was a nostalgic person, but that didn't mean she would try to keep her.
She said, "Since you cannot understand my pursuit, and I cannot understand yours, then let's part ways amicably. You can often bring Griseo to the First Research Institute; I really like that little girl."
Hearing Mobius's permission, Blanca instinctively breathed a sigh of relief.
She was genuinely worried that Mobius would be adamant about not letting her go, but Mobius was gentler than she had expected.
She smiled and said, "Doctor, since you like children so much, have you considered adopting one or having one of your own?"
"I'm not like you, willing to give up everything for a man." She paused but still didn't hold back: "If the conditions are right, I will consider it."
Blanca was slightly taken aback.
Because it wasn't the first time she asked Mobius such a question, but Mobius had always denied it.
And now, Mobius had relented.
Blanca blinked: "It seems Griseo will soon have a little brother or sister."
…
…
Chen Ran returned to the First Research Institute once again.
However, when he returned, he found the entire research institute enveloped in an awkward atmosphere.
"Due to personal reasons, I have resigned from my position as an assistant at the First Research Institute. Klein will take over my position and assist the doctor in her work."
Blanca looked at Chen Ran, who had just entered, smiled, and said, "Chen Ran, you came at the right time."
"You are also considered an old member of the First Research Institute, so if Klein has any work she doesn't understand in the future, I will need to trouble you."
Chen Ran looked over and saw Klein with her head down, saying to Chen Ran, "Please take care of me in the future, Senior Chen Ran."
"Congratulations."
Chen Ran was not surprised that Blanca was leaving; he was just a bit taken aback that it was happening so soon.
According to his understanding of the plot, Blanca's departure should have occurred after Kevin killed the Herrscher of Death. But now it was happening earlier than expected.
Perhaps it was due to his influence that many of Mobius's research projects were expedited, thus affecting Blanca.
He smiled and said to Blanca, "In the future, let Griseo come to the research institute more often; Durandal can actually teach Griseo as well."
Durandal, who was mentioned, raised her head and said, "Yes, and Griseo is so soft and cute; I want to pet her!"
Blanca smiled.
During this time, Griseo and Durandal had been together, and Durandal had shown obvious, more human-like emotions.
Just as everyone was chatting, Mobius suddenly appeared.
Everyone quickly fell silent.
Blanca smiled apologetically at Mobius, "Well, Doctor, I'll be leaving now."
"Klein, the work will be up to you from now on."
She gave Klein a thumbs-up.
Klein blinked and then nodded.
Mobius, however, remained expressionless at Blanca's departure.
"Chen Ran, Klein, come in for a moment."
"There's an experiment that requires your assistance."
Chen Ran exchanged a glance with Klein, then followed Mobius into the laboratory.
Only Nuwa and Fuxi were left, exchanging glances.
Fuxi sighed, "It seems we are still being excluded."
She knew that due to their special identities, the sensitive role of assistants could not be entrusted to them. This invisible exclusion was a hurdle they had to face in their pursuit of knowledge.
Even the optimistic Nuwa felt a bit disheartened.
"There's nothing we can do; I heard that Senior Chen Ran was also an external member before achieving results. Fuxi, we can do it too."
"Oh, are you being serious now?"
"No, we can definitely cling to Senior Chen Ran's thigh!"
Fuxi: "…"
"Just as expected of you."
——
Fifty thousand years later, Elysian Realm.
"What's going on? Why are we suddenly back?"
Raiden Mei surveyed the unfamiliar environment before her, frowning.
She instinctively looked at Wendy, who shook her head, "I don't know either."
After Chen Ran was brought back to the pre-civilization era by the system, they, the time travelers, also left that time node.
"Time travel consumes consciousness and core energy, but my core energy is still sufficient, and my consciousness isn't fatigued either." Wendy frowned, "This situation can only be related to Chen Ran."
Raiden Mei's expression turned anxious, "But if that's the case, then Kiana…"
Kiana did not have her own body.
"Oh, so her name is Kiana; I only just learned her name now."
Their conversation was overheard by someone else.
Wendy and Mei turned to see the expert Vill-V had appeared behind them at some point.
In her hand, she held a photo of Kiana.
However, there were two other people in the photo.
It was Kevin and MEI.
Raiden Mei quickly asked, "Where did you get this?"
"Elysia took the photo." Vill-V paused and said, "This girl stumbled into Fire Moth and was captured by Kevin; she claimed she wanted to join Fire Moth to fight against Honkai, showing considerable talent."
"Unfortunately, she's a bit slow-witted and often gets tricked by Mobius into the laboratory."
"However, she calls herself Sirin, so we refer to her as Sirin."
The expert Vill-V's casual remarks left Raiden Mei and Wendy puzzled.
"But Kiana is clearly…" Raiden Mei frowned, then thought of a possibility.
Kiana went to fifty thousand years ago.
"Her origins are unknown; even Cocoon cannot investigate her background, but it was Chen Ran at that time who vouched for her, and we thought she was Kevin's missing sister."
The expert Vill-V clearly had memories regarding Kiana.
During Wendy and Raiden Mei's time travel, they could also sense what happened during the process through their devices.
However, she hadn't expected that Kiana actually came from the future.
But if that's the case, some events from that era seemed to be explainable.
Wendy frowned and said, "Wait, are you saying these things have already happened? And not memories generated by a changed past?"
"Why do you think that?"
The expert Vill-V said, "I am data; this is a space composed of data."
"The greatest significance of data is precise recording, with no possibility of consciousness confusion."
Data exists independently of the world.
Any data that has been measured cannot be influenced by the entire world.
The fundamental reason is that the consciousness formed by data is no longer within any dimension of the world.
In the myth of Shenzhou, it is said to be beyond the three realms, not within the five elements.
Wendy's eyes revealed surprise, "So is there a possibility that what we think has been changed in fate is essentially the predetermined fate, and we mistakenly believe it has changed?"
Raiden Mei then looked at Vill-V, "I want to know what happened to Kiana in the end; is there any relevant news about her in the paradise?"
"None."
The expert Vill-V said flatly, "She was the last terminal connected to the entire domain, and then she disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
Raiden Mei and Wendy exchanged glances.
…
…
In a space with no visible edges, Kiana stood there in confusion.
She didn't understand why, even though she was still on the aircraft with Mei, the world had vanished.
It was as if an invisible force had taken her away.
She saw the dazzling galaxy beyond the dark sky, the magnificent stars like fireballs, and the Earth far away like the edge of the sky.
It wasn't until she left footprints on the dusty ground that she realized where she was.
The Moon.
"Why am I here?"
Kiana instinctively voiced her question.
Then, as if guided by some force, she began to walk forward step by step.
The temperature difference between day and night on the Moon is extreme, and it is a vacuum environment.
Ordinary people would struggle to survive for three seconds without equipment. However, Kiana seemed completely unaware of this.
Following her inner guidance, she arrived at a ruin.
Some vague memory fragments began to flood her mind, and when Kiana finally recalled parts of her memory about Sirin, she also saw the god that Sirin encountered on the Moon in 2000.
"I will no longer help you exterminate humanity."
Kiana warily looked at the 'god' before her, who seemed identical to her, and said seriously, "I am no longer the Herrscher of the Void."
The god said nothing.
However, a stream of information was infused into her consciousness.
"You mean, you can help me return to fifty thousand years ago?" Kiana's eyes flashed with suspicion, "Why would you help me?"
[Because I enjoy watching a play of intertwined fates.]
This was the reason given by the god.
Sufficiently superior, sufficiently capricious.
He was high above, already tired of the powerless drama of human resistance.
Since Chen Ran had already pried open the Möbius ring called fate, he naturally would be pleased to see someone step into it.
With the web of intertwined fates, enveloping all people from two eras.
And this was what the god reaped after giving generously.
"What do I need to give in return?"
[Nothing at all.]
"Then what if I defeat the Herrscher of Finality?"
[It doesn't matter; I don't care.]
Kiana gritted her teeth, then her eyes showed a hint of provocation as she looked at the god before her, "What if I defeat you?"
[It doesn't matter; I don't care.]
Still the same answer, as if it were a programmed response.
Kiana's gaze turned resolute: "Then let me go to fifty thousand years ago."
Her reality was already filled with lies, and in fifty thousand years ago, she still had a chance to start over.
[I will reassign you a body; this is also a small mark I leave behind.]
[I wonder if you can unravel the web of fate, Kiana.]
"Don't call me Kiana anymore."
Kiana paused and said, "Kiana is someone else's name."
She vanished.
Stepping into the chaotic web called fate.
…
…
In the training ground of the first squad of Fire Moth.
Kosma, who had joined Fire Moth not long ago, was training under Kevin's guidance.
Since this boy was scolded to tears by Kevin, he had been training even harder, aiming to be like Kevin.
His expression was resolute, and he strived to achieve the best results in every training session.
Although his displayed talent was not as good as Kevin's, he had gained the recognition of the other members of the first squad, especially Ato, who particularly liked him.
Now, Kosma was following the training regimen Kevin had given him.
Just as he appeared cold on the outside, thinking about how to become as strong as Kevin, he suddenly heard Kevin's icy voice.
"Who are you, and how did you get here?"
Kosma looked over and saw Kevin pointing a gun at a white-haired girl.
He was taken aback; the girl bore more than ninety percent resemblance to Kevin.
"Um..." Kiana glanced at the onlookers, feeling a bit awkward, and said, "Do you know Chen Ran?"
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