Lately, MEI had been stretched past her absolute limits.
Following the establishment of the reborn World Serpent, their high-end combat strength was quite formidable. They boasted Elysia, the Primal Herrscher, as their figurehead, alongside the two Returners: Kevin and Fu Hua. On the administrative front, the Gray Serpents provided seamless assistance.
As time marched on, new blood and various collaborators joined the cause. The future Flame-Chasers and elites across multiple fields were all fighting for the exact same goal.
However, as the organization expanded, her role as the nominal leader demanded far more energy. She had to manage and guide the overarching direction of their grand strategy. She knew she had to perform flawlessly. Otherwise, the old path walked by this era would lead to an ugly end.
She absolutely refused to let that timeline become their cruel reality once again during this incredibly rare second chance. She was well aware of the stakes. This second chance involved far too many variables. Clearing the game would be exponentially more difficult than the natural first run.
This truth was already evident just by looking at the nature of the recently erupted Third Eruption. And that was not even factoring in the Time-Reversed Descenders hiding in the shadows. They would inevitably stir up chaos through various unseen methods. Worse still, her faction would eventually have to stand in direct opposition to The Moth Who Chases the Flames.
In short, they were facing a far more grueling exam. Over-relying on past experiences was simply no longer a viable option. Because of this, MEI deliberated deeply over every single decision she made. She had to ensure everything factored in the long-term consequences.
Yet, on top of all these administrative burdens, MEI was still a person with unparalleled talent for scientific research. She knew her future position. So, aside from handling the organization's affairs, she had to constantly study and enrich her own mind. Building upon that foundation, she had to personally participate in various critical projects. For instance, she needed to research the remains of the Third Herrscher very soon. She also had to make preemptive preparations for the hidden dangers related to it.
She was truly exhausted. The phrase "lacking the manpower to split oneself" suited her perfectly right now. There were many times when MEI would subconsciously envy the Herrscher of Domination, the one who had already ascended to godhood. A full one thousand copies of oneself. Perhaps even more. If only she could wield that kind of power.
Phew. I shouldn't waste my energy daydreaming about impossible things.
She was currently located inside the secret underground base of the reborn World Serpent Headquarters in the Sahara Desert of North Africa. At this exact moment, MEI was constructing a highly advanced piece of technology known as the Imaginary Singularity Observation Device. She was building it based on the future data previously delivered by Gray Serpent.
This device was supposedly incredibly practical in the future of the original historical timeline. The logic was simple. The Honkai Energy Level Monitoring Devices equipped on artificial satellites could accurately pinpoint a Herrscher's location during their active phase to a certain degree. But this new device could actually predict the exact time of the next Great Eruption.
Clearly, MEI only thought to tinker with this device because the Third Eruption had broken out prematurely. Its location, scale, and even the type of Herrscher involved were completely different from the records of the original historical trajectory.
However, she did not know a very tragic truth. She had absolutely no way of knowing it. Because of Ling Ke's forceful intervention, the outbreak times and locations of all subsequent Great Eruptions had actually become far more randomized. In other words, the Imaginary Singularity Observation Device was only effective against an autonomously operating Cocoon of Finality.
As things stood now, humanity simply could not predict when the next Great Eruption would suddenly strike by observing the shifts in Imaginary Singularities.
Just like today.
Woo——Woo——Woo——
The blaring sirens within the World Serpent Headquarters erupted without a single trace of warning.
MEI's hands froze mid-action.
"This specific alarm." Her eyes went wide. A look of sheer shock washed over her face. "A Great Eruption?"
"Why?" Her breathing immediately grew rapid and shallow. "Why is it happening so fast? The Third Eruption hasn't even."
Her thoughts were violently severed.
Thud.
MEI's vision faded to pitch black. Her body went completely limp, collapsing onto the cold floor of the laboratory. She had completely lost consciousness.
An unknown amount of time passed.
"Ugh."
MEI slowly regained her senses. Opening her heavy eyelids, she realized she was lying in a hospital bed once again. It was a familiar room. And there was a familiar face by her bedside.
However, this time, the person accompanying her was not the calm and collected Returner Kevin. Instead, it was...
"MEI! You're finally awa."
Smack!
The white-haired young man yelled boisterously. A look of absolute, unbridled joy was plastered across his face. However, right as he tried to shout in excitement, he received a sharp slap on the back of his head.
There were other people in the hospital room.
"I say, Kevin. Do you have any idea what the phrase 'resting quietly' means?"
It was a familiar voice. In MEI's line of sight, she saw a gray-haired young man slowly retracting his hand. It was Su.
He was undoubtedly another person whose original life trajectory had completely derailed. Recently, he hadn't been spending much time at the reborn World Serpent base. For the time being, utilizing a forged identity provided by Mobius, he was currently working as an assistant at The Moth Who Chases the Flames' Fifth Research Institute.
Naturally, the Director of the Fifth Institute, Dr. Spaxi, was also a current member of the reborn World Serpent. While operating over there, Su had even disguised his physical appearance. It couldn't be helped. Kevin Kaslana had previously been forced into taking high-profile actions far too frequently. The younger Kevin, who shared his exact appearance, had long since become a person of extreme interest to the High Council of The Moths. By extension, even his close friend Su was subjected to investigation.
Those politicians clutching onto their seats of power were incredibly covetous of that controllable supernatural power. Regardless, Su rarely had the chance to visit this base.
But right now.
"The Great Eruption. What is the situation?" The very first thing MEI asked upon waking up was about the crisis. Her voice was dry and raspy from disuse.
Seeing her act like this, the young Kevin scratched the back of his head. He shifted uncomfortably under her piercing gaze, looking completely out of his depth.
Thankfully, Su was right beside him. He stepped forward, speaking in his calm, clinical tone.
"MEI. Following a unanimous decision by the higher-ups, you only have one single mission for the next three days. You are going to rest properly." Su looked her directly in the eyes, his gentle demeanor masking an immovable resolve. "So just give up. You cannot even step foot outside this intensive care unit right now, and we will not tell you a single piece of intel related to the Honkai."
"But." MEI wanted to argue back, her mind racing.
"MEI. There is something you might have forgotten, or perhaps you simply never paid much attention to it." Su offered a helpless, almost apologetic smile. "As of right now, the absolute Sire of this reborn World Serpent is that Kevin."
Saying this, he cast a complicated, sidelong glance at his best friend standing right beside him. The sheer, suffocating irony of the situation was palpable.
But Su continued nonetheless, laying down the ultimate trump card. "Kevin Kaslana. His orders are absolute."
"You are not the leader just yet."
"..."
MEI fell entirely silent.