Incidentally, this outfit that made Rin feel a bit chilly on both sides of her chest wasn't due to Lu Xing's personal interests. The complexity of a traditional shrine maiden's uniform was on par with the seemingly difficult-to-wear kimono. The clothes the Monarch had conjured out of thin air using the [Authority of Reason], while possessing the characteristic of being able to last forever, were only a "personal impression version" inherited from some 2D shrine maiden character, as he was unfamiliar with their internal structure.
Crack.
Frost and ice crystals scattered to the ground as Lu Xing rose from his throne.
"You have demonstrated your worth."
"Next, I shall fulfill our contract."
He tapped his finger lightly in the void.
A deep golden stream of light slid down from the heavens.
Between the two of them, the Subspace Lance quickly drew a nearly perfect circle—a spatial gate nearly ten meters tall instantly took shape.
"While I'm at it," he added, "I'll go and see how that other wager is proceeding."
"Um..."
"Hm?"
Rin, a complete change from her earlier demeanor, spoke in a somewhat timid and hesitant manner.
"Could I perhaps change my clothes?"
"Going to see my sister dressed like this is... a little improper..."
"..."
"Xiao Zi."
Lu Xing hesitated for a moment before finally calling Xiao Zi's name.
Swoosh.
The frigid air at the summit stagnated for an instant.
An angel with wings of light floating behind her back materialized from the void.
Although it was the first time Rin had seen her, she instantly recognized the newcomer's identity. It wasn't some avian behemoth from a preconceived notion, but an "angel" just like the ones people faithfully believed in from their religions.
"Hm?"
The exact same tone the Monarch had just used hummed from Xiao Zi's lips.
But at this moment, Xiao Zi's attention was completely focused on the strange "person," making Rin shiver involuntarily. Fortunately, this power came as quickly as it dissipated. She must have realized Rin posed no "threat," because after sizing her up for a moment, Xiao Zi shifted her gaze back to the Monarch.
As for what was in her hands...
A chisel and hammer, condensed from the [Authority of Reason], seemed particularly out of place in this setting.
"..."
"Stop studying that 'architectural aesthetics' stuff."
Lu Xing spoke after a slight hesitation.
The [Authority of Reason] was indeed extremely powerful, but its true effect was not as a weapon, but as a catalyst for the development of civilization. The knowledge gained from the [Divine Flame] and Lu Xing's memory was certainly not limited to combat.
That's right.
Constructing the ten-thousand-meter-high mountain range beneath their feet, as well as his palace and throne, was also a way to train the [Authority of Reason].
"The 'prosperity' of human civilization, different from that of the machine race—haven't you always wanted to experience its existence?"
Xiao Zi had once mentioned that she wanted Lu Xing to take her to personally experience human civilization... collecting the knowledge and culture of different civilizations would help her further understand the power of the [Authority of Reason].
That was Xiao Zi's reasoning.
"Let Rin take you to see it..." Lu Xing said.
"While it still exists."
"..."
It was a topic that would make anyone who heard it feel sorrowful.
However, this sorrow, in Rin's eyes, was multifaceted. The conversation between the Monarch and "Ziz" just now had allowed her to realize... or at least, unilaterally realize, that this Monarch was completely different from the one in her impressions, and even different from the one she had just interacted with.
And also, a "Chief Combatant" who was equally full of "variables."
"..."
An unnamed silence echoed between Lu Xing and Xiao Zi.
"Um," Rin took the initiative to break the awkwardness when neither spoke first.
"Monarch."
"May I ask you..."
"...to witness its final glory with us?"
The rare, tranquil, and even somewhat comical "daily life" scene, with Rin's words, once again became deep and silent.
"A 'former' civilization..."
Only the sound of the cold wind sweeping across the peak remained.
"So be it."
Inside the Fire Moth base.
"You know, I think," Vill-V said, pressing an unsharpened pencil against her slender chin, which was completely disproportionate to the area twenty centimeters below it.
Incidentally, the bottom end of the pencil was also resting precisely in a delicate indentation just above that "disproportionate" soft tissue.
"This job would actually be better left to Mobius."
"After all, the Honkai Beast genes I fused with don't have such a freakish ability. Death by overwork isn't exactly a rare occurrence for scientists, you know."
Vill-V picked up the pencil and performed a small "disappearing" magic trick by balancing it on her nose.
"A certain long researcher who can work 24 hours without sleep."
"If we could popularize that ability, how many capitalists would have been willing to invest in this experiment at any cost a decade ago!"
"Shut it, Vill-V."
Vill-V's exaggerated performance came to an end.
Mobius, who had opened the lab door and walked into the room, handed the latest research results to Klein and directly interrupted her show.
"You at least have 'a little bit' of Honkai energy adaptability."
"Mei's work..."
At this, Mobius unconsciously pressed a hand to her left temple and sighed softly.
"Your work intensity is already higher than mine."
"If this continues, between the two options of humanity's extinction and the end of your lifespan, it's uncertain which answer will arrive first," Mobius said, addressing Mei, who was sitting opposite Vill-V.
"No, no, no..."
Before the latter could speak, Mobius continued.
"I know what you're going to say."
"But Mei, there's one thing you must be clear about—"
There were only the three of them, the researchers, in the lab. Not even an assistant was nearby.
"Kevin is normal."
"But your existence itself is the essential prerequisite for him being 'normal'," Mobius said with extreme seriousness.
"If you leave this civilization first, no one knows how long Kevin's normality can be maintained. If things really develop to that point, I can't say for sure whether it will be a Herrscher or Kevin who destroys humanity..."
"Or perhaps, that guy."
"So," Dr. Mei finally seized the opportunity to speak as Mobius paused for a moment.
"The existence of that child is what is necessary."
"Isn't it?"
"..."
"When it comes to madness, Mei, your ideas far exceed mine by countless times."
Casually pulling over an empty chair, Mobius officially joined the conversation.
She was also deliberately avoiding the counter-question Mei had just raised. An unborn infant, a fusion of Kevin's and Mei's genes... One must know, the things in Kevin's genes could no longer be described as belonging to any single creature.
It could be Kevin's stabilizer, or it could be...
...the destroyer that ends civilization.