After that, Can scouted the path ahead while Mei cleared the monsters from behind, and they soon arrived at the next segment of Vill-V's memory!
"Behold, my new creation—the Anti-Kevin Armament Type 736 has successfully been completed!"
In the Elysian Realm hall, Vill-V proudly introduced her armament to Elysia!
"So today, I've specially invited its exclusive user to conduct tests on it."
Kevin remained cold and silent on the side.
"Quite the cold reaction. My dear actors and audience, could it be that you aren't anticipating my unprecedented, magnificent new performance?"
In the end, only Elysia was there clapping and cheering her on.
Amidst Elysia's encouragement, Vill-V explained the inspiration for this armament—Dr. Mobius!
And while Mobius's experimental data was running, she even performed a sleight-of-hand/displacement trick.
Knowing that Mobius would soon come chasing after her, Vill-V immediately made herself scarce!
"Vill—V—!"
Sure enough, the sound of a snake's cry came from afar!
[Mobius]: "Vill—V—!"
[Sparkle]: "Vill-V, you really are something. If we could meet, I think we might become friends~"
[Vill-V]: 'Then, Miss Sparkle, if it were truly possible, would you like to perform magic with me?'
[Sparkle]: 'Hehehe~~ Of course~~'
[Sampo]: 'Oh dear, my little lady, you really have no fear of death!'
[Stelle]: "By the Aeon of Elation, I hope something happens to someone!"
After watching this segment of memory, Mei and Pardo moved towards the upper levels of the Dominion Theater.
The two silently traversed the empty, silent corridors of the theater. Fragments of memories occasionally leaped before their eyes, like brief sparks, extinguishing in an instant.
Upstairs, mirrors were scattered throughout the hall, dividing the space and people's reflections into complex parts.
"This place... really feels uncomfortable. Sis Mei, let's leave quickly."
"A sudden thought occurred to me—if Vill-V appeared here, would these mirrors reflect her different personalities?"
"Sis Mei, please don't joke about that right now."
Faced with the scene of the Dominion Theater overlayed with mirrors, Pardo was genuinely somewhat scared now:
"Who's to say Sis Vill-V won't suddenly jump out from one of these mirrors to scare me... I feel like she'd really do that!"
Afterwards, they proceeded forward, stepping onto a long staircase, when Pardofelis suddenly stopped.
"Sis Mei, wait a moment!"
The cat girl pointed at a distant mirror and said: "Look at that mirror, does it have a lock on it?"
"Indeed... but isn't this a space constructed from memories? Why would there be a lock here?"
"Could it be that Vill-V is hiding some secret, unwilling to show it to others?"
"What's the reason? We'll know once we open it, won't we?"
Cat didn't overthink it: "This is something I'm extremely good at. Sis Mei, wait just a moment~"
The girl excitedly approached, pulling out a set of tools from who-knows-where, and began studying it. However, as time passed, the padlock remained unmoved, and a troubled expression gradually appeared on her face.
Seeing this, Mei said: "Pardo, let's set this lock aside for now. Let's go investigate the other memories first."
"J-Just wait a little longer, I promise, I'll have it open soon."
"If you're really curious about the locked content, we can ask Vill-V directly after we go back."
Pardo, her curiosity piqued, waved her hand: "That won't do. Given Sis Vill-V's personality, she might not tell the truth."
"This is my only specialty. If I can't even manage this small thing, how can I say I've helped you? Don't worry, I can definitely open it."
"Sis Mei, why don't you go look at the other memories first? Once I open this lock, I'll come find you right away."
[Yanqing]: "Could it be that what's inside is Vill-V's very private memory?"
[Black Swan]: "Placing a lock here is practically announcing that there's a secret inside."
[Kiana]: "Pardo is really trying her best to help Mei."
[Stelle]: "Oh no, I already liked Pardo, but now I like her even more!"
[Yunli]: "Pardo's curiosity really is quite cat-like~"
[March 7th]: "Oh no, I have a bad feeling about this. Is this room really okay?"
[In one of the mirrors, Mei witnessed how 'The Expert' Vill-V used her own body to probe the limits of the Binding Herrscher.
What's more, what Mei found hard to imagine was that in this memory, she would actually [empathize], experiencing the power of the Binding Field herself.
The memories that followed were some 'minor matters'—magic performances, memories of her blowing up the Spiral Workshop herself, and so on and so forth.
Seeing that there was no useful information on this level, and noticing that Pardo was still diligently trying to pick the lock, Mei went directly to check the unexplored areas downstairs.
"Do you know what you have done?"
"Ha... Hahahahaha!"
An unknown Vill-V laughed heartily!
"This is mockery, understand? We are all [Geniuses], so I shouldn't need to explain the reason, right?"
Mei was somewhat puzzled: "Strange... Only the sound? Is it because the memory is already too blurred?"
The unknown Vill-V continued: "Do you think cutting me out from your thoughts will solve everything?"
"What do you take [Malice] to be? A cog in a clock? Something that can be counted one by one?"
"As long as we are alive, she cannot be completely eradicated. Even an impression as slight as a breeze can instantly be reborn."
"Everything you are doing now is futile."
"This wasn't originally my decision either."
The Conductor also explained: "You know, the authority to [divide] thoughts was only temporarily granted to me by [Her]."
"So,凭什么 (píng shén me - on what basis)?"
"Could it be that you... could it be that I... aren't we all Vill-V?"
The Conductor said: "You are right. Malice cannot be eradicated. Many reasons can cause it to be easily reborn."
"Therefore, [Her] decision is not to cut you out... but to [imprison] you."
"This time, the portion of thought I will sever will far exceed the capacity of any existing region—in fact, it will be as much as [half of Vill-V]."
"From now on, whenever new malice is born within this individual named Vill-V..."
"I will merge it into the place where you are."
"In other words... although you will become the most天才 (tiān cái - genius/talented) one among us..."
"—you will only serve as a prison for malice, never to see the light of day?"]
[Stelle]: "Good grief, so the Vill-V we've met isn't even the complete version!?"
[Theresa]: "Using half of one's own mind as a prison, while the remaining half is divided among the other Vill-Vs, and yet she could still achieve such accomplishments!"
[Honkai: Star Rail - Void Archives]: "This is Vill-V for you, Vill-V of the 'Spiral'!"
[March 7th]: "Isn't Pardo in great danger right now!? We can be sure now that whatever is behind that door isn't anything good, right!?"
[Pardofelis]: "Run, future me!"
[Yanqing]: "If what's behind that door is truly 'Malevolent' Vill-V, then after being imprisoned for 50,000 years, what state she is in, no one can know."
...
There's more, but I'm tired. I shouldn't have boasted. The next chapter should be in about an hour.
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