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[Searching database...]
The powerful supercomputer danced under the girl's fingertips, searching through all the data in the repository.
After leaving the Raiden residence, Bronya returned to Cocolia's base without any hesitation and began to use her authority to verify everything the man had said.
If that guy dared to lie about his plan...
"..."
She would definitely grant his wish and strangle this scoundrel with her own worn stockings!
Cold light flickered on the screen as streams of useful and useless data were listed one by one.
Bronya ignored the data she had already reviewed and went straight into the sea of information related to the conservative faction.
'City of the Deep, a Previous Era ruin discovered by Anti-Entropy at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean during its early days. Confirmed to be a research facility from the Previous Era, specific function unknown... not yet in use...'
A brief piece of information caught the girl's attention.
The description of the City of the Deep matched everything Brian had said; it was a research facility from the Previous Era. The fact that Cocolia hadn't confirmed its function also left much to the imagination.
If that guy hadn't deceived her, the City of the Deep might be related to the Sea of Quanta.
A glimmer of hope rose in the girl's heart.
Such a massive research facility, even if it couldn't fulfill her wish, was enough to let her take a big step towards her dream.
As long as she got the right to use the City of the Deep, then rescuing Seele would be just around the corner!
Bronya strengthened her resolve to build a good relationship with Raiden Mei.
If Cocolia was slacking off, then she would be responsible for the operation to rescue Seele.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
"Bronya, you should get some proper rest."
The time in the lower right corner of the screen showed four in the morning. Even the Anti-Entropy members in this base had long since gone to bed.
Only Bronya was still working hard to save her sister from the Sea of Quanta.
Behind the girl, a woman whose attire had barely changed over the years leaned against the cold wall, her gaze towards her adopted daughter's back filled with tenderness.
Bronya didn't turn back. "If I stop, how much longer will Seele have to stay in that place?"
Cocolia: "..."
She couldn't answer.
"I don't think Seele would want to see you abusing your body like this." She brought up the daughter she had hurt.
Bronya: "Don't you feel any shame using her name?"
Hurting her, then exploiting her.
If this woman weren't their adoptive mother, who had given them a happy time in the orphanage, she would absolutely not be speaking to her so calmly.
She had shown them kindness, she held a mother's love for them, but it was not pure.
"..." The woman clenched her fist, then relaxed it in an instant. "I will fulfill my promise and rescue Seele from the Sea of Quanta."
She had failed her daughter, so she had no right to argue, only to prove it with her actions.
"Just with your Artificial Herrscher Project? You don't even have any theoretical support or feasibility studies."
The Gem of Conquest was a spoil of war obtained by Anti-Entropy during the Second Honkai Eruption, once belonging to the Second Herrscher.
She was a Herrscher, an apostle chosen by the Honkai, who became a Herrscher from a human, so it was natural for her to possess a Herrscher Core.
Now, Cocolia wanted to do the opposite, using the power of a Herrscher to turn an ordinary human into one, which was almost equivalent to making a monkey evolve into a human.
The two had certain similarities, but they were fundamentally different creatures. It wasn't as simple as 1+1=3.
There was no precedent, nor any feasibility study.
The current human civilization hadn't even figured out what the Honkai was, let alone thoroughly researched the Herrscher Core.
Cocolia's plan, in Bronya's eyes, was a complete castle in the air; it was as if this woman had just discovered the hard-to-utilize strategic resource that was the Gem of Conquest and decided to recycle it.
Cocolia: "..."
The mature woman let out a long breath. "Bronya, I'm not lying!"
"This is a necessary measure to save Seele."
Create the Third Herrscher, study the mysteries of Herrschers; crown herself with the diadem of corpses, and obtain the supreme power to lead Anti-Entropy.
Only by obtaining the power to influence the world and the corresponding resources would there be a chance to save Seele.
This was the conclusion Cocolia had reached after calm analysis following the X-10 experiment.
The Sea of Quanta was no friendly place, not some damsel to be trifled with; finding a specific entity in that mysterious world would require an unimaginable amount of resources and a long time.
In short, it was a bottomless pit where the investment did not match the return.
With her current status and position, she was not qualified to carry out this plan.
Choosing the current method was also a last resort.
"I understand." Bronya remained focused on operating the computer in front of her, with no intention of turning around.
Cocolia, as always, was disappointing.
She could see it now. This woman was just taking a shot in the dark.
Saving Seele was not her primary goal; everything was for her own selfish desires. Or rather, rescuing Seele from the Sea of Quanta was one of the jewels she prepared for her crown of power, not something that had to be accomplished.
If that was the case, then there was nothing more to say between them.
When it came to being disappointing, Cocolia never disappointed.
Bronya ignored Cocolia.
Cocolia watched silently, then turned and left.
She would prove with her actions that her decision was correct. She would mend this family that was on the brink of shattering because of her.
—Using the corpses of others as a ladder.
In the room, Bronya's movements paused briefly after Cocolia left.
She didn't believe this woman was unaware that she was now hanging out with Raiden Mei and the others, yet she still hadn't commented on the matter.
A sense of being ignored left Bronya's heart feeling empty, as if she had lost something.
"It's for the best. She was never a qualified mother."
The silver-grey-haired girl muttered to herself, unclear whether she was listing the woman's crimes or trying to convince herself.
It was time to make a decision.
Just as young Brian had predicted...
"I've decided. I want to join your team."
Appearing before Brian and the others once again, Bronya gave her answer.