While speaking with Mei, Kevin noticed Silas looking their way. After apologizing to Mei, he strode over toward Silas, with Su following close behind.
Before the Honkai outbreak earlier, Kevin had already asked Su to take Mei to a safe zone. He had wanted Kosma to go as well, but Kosma had stubbornly refused.
When Kevin reached Silas, he first made sure no one else was nearby, then got straight to the point:
"Silas, regarding our rebirth… I don't think you need to rush into executing the Chimera Project just yet."
Su quietly shook his head in his heart. In his opinion, the sooner the Chimera Project was carried out, the better—after all, Silas had already proven its success in their past life.
But Kevin had told him that Dr. Mobius was firmly against Silas undertaking the Chimera Project.
If the most crucial figure—Mobius—was against it, would they really have Mei start researching the Chimera Project from scratch?
Besides, on an emotional level, Su could understand Mobius's position. If possible, he wouldn't want Silas to carry it out either.
Still, he was curious—what reason had Kevin come up with to talk Silas out of it?
Silas tilted his head, also intrigued. After all, Kevin was thinking—who wouldn't be curious about that?
"You could start forming the Fallen Angels squad ahead of time," Kevin suggested, "to improve our odds in the coming battles. After all, back at the very beginning, the ones who defeated me were you and Lilith."
The hint was loud and clear: Go. Find your perfect, all-round second-in-command—Lilith.
Elysia's eye twitched. She began to seriously consider the likelihood of pinning Kevin to the ground and grinding him into the dirt.
Su's eyes snapped wide open. He hadn't expected Kevin to say that. More than that, he could practically see black miasma rising from behind Elysia.
Just as Su was about to speak up, Sakura interjected:
"Mm… Silas and Lilith's coordination was indeed seamless, flawless even. If it's for the purpose of resisting the Honkai later, then it's a good choice."
She still remembered the all-round vice leader of the Fallen Angels squad vividly. In her memory, near the end of the Honkai era, Lilith and Silas appeared together almost every time. Any friction between the Fallen Angels and other warriors—or any administrative matters—were always handled by Lilith.
Su: "…"
He suddenly had nothing to say.
Elysia: "…"
Sakura, do you even realize what you just said?
Silas fell into thought. He had considered going to find Lilith before, but with Elysia at his side now, he had been hesitant out of consideration for her feelings. Now, thanks to Kevin, he could just throw the blame on him—and this matter could officially be put on the agenda.
After all, sooner or later they'd meet. Lilith was, without question, an irreplaceable all-rounder.
Noticing the strange looks Su and Elysia were giving her, Sakura was a bit puzzled. If her expression could be put into text, it would be something like: OvO?
"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, confused.
In her past life within Fire Moth, Sakura rarely paid attention to gossip. Her only concern was protecting her sister, and she was constantly busy with MANTIS missions. She had never really thought much about such matters.
"Your evaluation is very accurate," Kevin remarked.
Sakura went over her own words in her mind—no problem there. She had simply told the truth as she saw it.
Elysia narrowed her eyes at Kevin. So the speech I gave you at the final banquet meant nothing, huh? You're stabbing me in the back too, Kevin?
Next time, I'm stealing Mei right in front of you! Hmph!
Then her gaze shifted to Silas. She wasn't entirely sure how Silas had met Lilith in the first place. It had been a mystery—after the Sixth Herrscher incident, Silas had suddenly left the team and applied to be transferred to another branch. He only returned during the Seventh Herrscher incident to undergo the fusion warrior surgery with Kevin—and by then, Lilith was already by his side.
Judging by Kevin's expression, he didn't seem to know either. That meant the decision was in Silas's hands. Though Elysia felt reluctant, she had to admit that Lilith had done an exceptional job as his vice commander in their past life.
Wait a second—if Lilith was an all-rounder, then giving her to Kevin would work too, right? Heaven knows he needs the brainpower.
Miss Fairy considered this… acceptable.
Sensing Elysia's ever-shifting gaze beside him, Silas thought for a moment before deciding to abandon further thinking.
"Kevin, you're right. I forgot."
I'm counting on you, my good brother—please take some of Elysia's fire away from me!
Unaware of the landmines he'd triggered, Kevin slowly blinked. "?"
That's your most capable second-in-command—your lover, for crying out loud! What do you mean you forgot?
Kevin still had no idea what he was about to face, but Su, standing beside him, quietly shifted away.
Kosma, who had been eavesdropping for a bit: "…"
(Kevin, you move fast, huh? But judging by the situation, it seems like Elysia might have some feelings for Silas too… No, I need to find Michaela…)
He remembered clearly—in their past life, only Michaela could truly keep Silas in check. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but whenever Silas saw Michael, he'd avoid her if possible; and if he couldn't, then whatever Michael said, he'd obey.
Silas's stance on that: Sure, I was pinned down like the Monkey King when I crossed over, but please don't actually give me a Tang Monk—especially not one with the pure gaze of a little girl.
Completely oblivious, Kevin bluntly voiced his doubt:
"Isn't Lilith your lover? She even taught Mei how to make Lover's Chocolate."
He remembered clearly that Mei had given him Lover's Chocolate, and she'd said Lilith had made the exact same kind for her.
The air abruptly froze into an awkward silence.
Miss Fairy felt the string of her reason about to snap.
Lilith had gone that far already?
Then again, if she hadn't, she wouldn't be Lilith.
"So Lilith really is your lover," Sakura said with a look of sudden realization. Though she didn't know why she felt a faint pang in her chest, it also seemed… perfectly natural?
Silas: "…"
Good thing Vill-V and Mobius weren't here—otherwise, Kevin wouldn't just be dancing in a minefield; he'd be bungee jumping into the mouth of an active volcano.
Elysia smiled and said, "That's where you're wrong, Silas and Lilith have never had that kind of relationship. Right, Silas?"
Silas: "…Right."
"Is it because you haven't spent enough time together yet?" Kevin still hadn't realized the gravity of the situation. "That's fine, Silas—you could take the initiative this time…"
Unable to watch any longer, Su covered Kevin's mouth and dragged him away.
"All right, Kevin, we still need to meet with Fire Moth's inspectors about joining them."
Elysia watched Su haul Kevin off before turning to Silas.
"So, Silas, what do you think?"
Silas: "…I don't have those kinds of thoughts."
But Lilith does! Elysia very much wanted to say that, but after some thought, decided against it. After all, if Silas didn't have such feelings, then Lilith would never succeed. And this time, she absolutely would not give Lilith any chance to take advantage.
She'd just throw her at Kevin!
Not even a sliver of opportunity to fall for Silas!
Meanwhile, in the Helix Workshop, Vill-V's expression had turned strangely twisted—half smiling, half gritting her teeth. She muttered to herself,
"I knew there was nothing wrong with installing a listening device on that weapon. And look, now I've got some big news."
"Should we start prototyping the Anti-Kevin Arsenal now?"
"He hasn't undergone MANTIS surgery yet. I mean… shouldn't we... amplify the specs?"
"No objections here."
"Seconded."
In the distance, the faint rumble of missiles echoed through the air. Silas looked up at the sky—finally, salvation. He turned to Elysia.
"Elysia, get ready. Let's go in and recover Śeṣa's remains."
Elysia was about to agree, but then seemed to recall something unpleasant. She forced a slightly awkward smile.
"I… think I'll sit this one out. You and Sakura go."
She'd figured it out—Sakura hadn't even found the racetrack yet, so she could rest assured. Even if Sakura occasionally charged in without realizing it herself. Besides, what could possibly happen during a corpse retrieval?
As for why she wouldn't go—it wasn't that she didn't want to be with Silas. It was just that she remembered what Śeṣa's remains looked like when they were stored by Fire Moth…
She'd rather carry Black Abyss White Flower—
Wait, no, after Black Abyss White Flower came Silas's weapon… she could accept holding onto that for a bit longer.
Besides, it wasn't like she had nothing to do. Before Kevin came here, he'd been talking with Mei, hadn't he?
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